


Woeful Calamity

by RuGrimm



Series: The Calamity Chronicles [3]
Category: Wizard101
Genre: Anthropomorphic, Dark Magic, F/F, F/M, False Identity, Genocide, Hinted Sexual Conduct, Lost Love, M/M, Magic, Moral Dilemmas, Morality, Murder, Other, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2018-12-24 21:12:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 33
Words: 101,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12021093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RuGrimm/pseuds/RuGrimm
Summary: Calamity Dragonbane was born and bred a loyal knight of Avalon. When her brother is killed by the Savior of the Spiral, she goes on a quest to kill the infamous wizard. However, she isn't the only one out to kill him and the rest of wizard kind...





	1. The Dungeon

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, it's Grimm here. It's been so long since I've last been here. Wow, hehe. To be honest, I've really missed you guys. I've had a lot of things happen in real life. For those of you who don't already know, I was displaced from my home in January (aka since my last update) and lost my father the following month. Since then, it's really just been a task of getting life back on track, and I've been working on getting my way back here. You guys really do mean so much to me, and I'll start off small with this fanfiction and we'll see how this goes.
> 
> I plan on updating once every Saturday as I do on the Wizard101 Amino, and for my darling fans who don't know this universe, don't be deterred from this story. There might be a few occasional terms you may be unfamiliar with, but knowledge of this universe isn't actually necessary. I implore you to check this fic out, and if you haven't ever tried the MMORPG Wizard101, check it out.
> 
> For you new fans just joining into my little universe, make sure to hit that favorite button and follow both here and on my new Twitter account @rugrimm16.
> 
> Thank you all for your love and support <3

_Hate_...I've never felt it so strongly as I do now...

It's a deep hate...festering...bubbling...boiling my insides in a cauldron so deep I thought it could never be filled. But now these feelings are tickling at my brim, and I fear that it won't be long until it creeps over the edges of my soul and spills out onto the nasty stone floor beneath me-a floor that matches the walls and complements the steel bars that confine me to this hell.

I can hear the whimpers of others in the cells next to mine, hungry and begging for mercy...for some relief of these dull grey walls and for the chance to taste the sun on their skins. But I know better...and I sure as Artorious have more pride than to grovel at the feet of a wizard.

_Wizards..._

They're revolting, lying creatures that bend the wills of hapless creatures to bathe the souls of their enemies in blood all for their so-called-quest to become the strongest. They have no remorse...No thought of the consequences of their actions. They end lives with no hesitance. We all know the stories of even the so called: 'Bringer of Light'. The wizard who 'saved' the Spiral...and ended the lives of nearly half of Khyrsalis, disturbed the rest of the undead from their graves only to destroy their souls in the quest of a few items, took the souls of hundreds of creatures to create copies of them to fight and kill at their leisure, and the King knows what else.

I remember the dying scream of my brother, Sir Agravaine, as That Wizard mercilessly slaughtered him and left him to die in the lonely tower...The blood pooling onto a floor not unlike the one I crouch upon now is fresh in my mind, the sharp smell stinging my nose and the red crept across the floor to greet me like an old lover, staining both my clothes and my memories as I rushed to his aid only to hear his dying wish of a perfect kingdom for his king.

They're all sick, demented, and twisted beings...

I shake the memories from my thoughts, instead looking exhaustedly at the bars in front of me. My arms are aching from being held above my head for so long, and I fear I can no longer feel my wrists that are so brutishly chafed from the metal chains that keep them pressed against the cold stone. I try to stretch my jaw to relieve the pressure on my teeth, but the tight leather that bounds my muzzle is unrelenting. However, above the uncomfortableness of my restraints, I must say that the most unsettling is the cold of this room. It's a constant chill that sets in through my bared fur, and whatever clothes I might have had to shield me from it were taken when I arrived. I suppose they figured I might have made use of the buckles or hid something in my clothing, but regardless of their train of thoughts, my bushy tail is nothing more than a comfort to my modesty instead of a makeshift shield from the cold.

"Is that the one, Valerian?"

My gaze snaps toward the barred door, and a low growl rumbles in the depths of my throat at the familiar sight of my captor beside a strange man in even stranger clothing. It doesn't take long to deduce that his companion is also a wizard.

"Yeah. She snuck into my home about a month ago, and I caught her poisoning my food with Nightshade Berries. She tried to take off through the window, but I managed to stun her and throw her through the magic mirror," muttered my captor.

Valerian Legendmancer: my brother's murderer and a renowned storm wizard in the spiral. I hadn't been prepared for his ice attack, nor had I been prepared for him to port into his home so suddenly. His uniform has changed since the last time I saw him, but it's still the same trademark purple and yellow, and his wide-brimmed hat still sports an obnoxious feather.

"You think she's from Avalon?" asks the new wizard. He's about Valerian's height, decked in a yellow and blue cloaked doublet and lacking in a hat (his hair sticking up wildly like the grasses of the Wild).

With a chuckle, Valerian gestures to me through the bars. "Look at her! She's a humanoid fox, for the love of the Spiral! Where else would she be from?"

"Dunno. With all the crossbreeding and spiral travelers, you can never know anymore. But why would someone from Avalon be after you? I mean, you saved the King, for crying out loud!" He huffed at Valerian's shrug of an answer and then dared to press his face closer to the bars in order to get a better look at me. "Whatcha going to do with her? She looks mighty scares, she does."

With my ears flattened against my skull and the gutteral growl echoing off the walls of my cell, I figure I do make an awfully threatening image, and I can't help but feel my bosom swell with pride at his statement.

"I guess I could just tweak one of my spells to collect her animus. She'd probably make a good opponent in the monstrodome."

Everything froze. My chest became tight with horror, eyes widening in their sockets as I fell silent and my breath caught. He was going to extract my..?

_NO!_

I snapped from my sitting position against the wall and quickly leapt to my feet, lunging toward the bars with a muted roar fury. I didn't think about my restraints.

I didn't think about the bars. I didn't think about anything. The anger inside me had boiled over, and I suppose it was that anger that had allowed me the force to snap the chains from the wall and once my hands were free, they seemed to find their way to the fabric of Valerian's robe. Within seconds, we pressed against each other through the bars, both our eyes wide for different reasons but nonetheless locked together. I could feel his warmth through my thick coat, feel his puny chest heaving as he took each panicked breath and his soft human skin as slowly ripped through the delicate fabric of his robe from the force of my hold on him.

I imagined that if I could rip off the leather from muzzle I could bury my teeth into his throat and feel him squirm as the blood poured out as it had from my brother. I imagined his screams in my ears as I took his life to repay for the many he had taken. But all I could do was barely lift my lips in order to hiss through my teeth: "Don't touch me, murderer.."

_"VALERIAN!"_

The brutal blast of the other wizard's wand hit me in the side, throwing me back against the wall with a dreadful SMACK! Valerian tumbled back against the ground, landing on his back and slowly getting to his elbows as he watched me crumble to the ground with a dead weight. My head was spinning, throbbing even from the force of its impact on the stone wall. Nausea set in, and the room grew darker as I watched Valerian's friend rush to his side in order to help him stand. He was obviously still dazed from my attack, and he swallowed nervously as he gazed at my limp form gasping on the ground.

"I'm fine...I'm fine..." he muttered, blinking stupidly as he got to his feet and stared.

"Holy shit, she's freaking crazy man!"

Breasts pressing against the cold ground with every strained breath, I shuddered and managed a tired grin despite the leather.

Crazy, huh?

And then the world slipped into a dark darker than anything I had ever known...


	2. A Knight's Honor and Justice

"That's it, Calamity! Don't back down! Don't give up! That's what being a knight's all about!"

I remember...I remember the smell of spring in the air: the way the pollen tickled at my snout and prompted me to sneeze with every inhale. I remember the way the sun glistened above and kissed my fur to make it appear as if its natural red color were on fire. I remember the weight in my hands, something that at that time had been so heavy and tedious to swing; something that in time I had learned to move as an extension of myself. And most importantly, I remembered his voice.

We were on High Road, training on the plateau near the river. The spray of water was cold during this season, still touched with the past winter, and so we had chosen to move to higher ground and par with the dummies Agravaine had set up. That was the spring he taught me how to use a sword.

"Come on, Calamity! Strike them down! No mercy!" he called from nearby, sitting on one of the many boulders nearby with his legs crossed and sheathed sword lying across his lap.

My breath was heavy, tongue lolling out of the side of my muzzle as I panted and swung the sword with all my might to strike to side of the wooden puppet that was completely laden with marks and missing chunks here and there. As my blade swung into the wood, the momentum stopped only a half-inch in...stuck.

Baring my teeth, I raised my booted foot to press against the puppet and tried to pull it out with all my might, shoulders and arms aching and having spent all of my strength already.

"FOR THE LOVE OF GWENDOLYN! Nnn! COME OUT YOU PIECE OF-YIP!" I yelped as I tumbled backwards with the sword, landing on my tail as I heard my brother's obnoxious chuckle

from nearby.

"You've been bested by a wooden puppet!" he laughed, and I could feel my cheeks heating up in embarrassment as I rose to my feet and dusted myself off. He was gripping his knees with his gloved hands to keep from falling backwards off the rock, head tilted back as he yowled with laughter.

"Ay, cut it out, Agravaine. I'm not as strong as you. I can't do this!" I huffed, turning my head away as I threw my sword down at my feet.

The dark fox stopped laughing, looking at me with a coy smile as he slid off the rock and drew his own sword. "You don't have to be strong to wield a sword, sister. A good knight isn't always strong in body, but strong in mind and will. You're too busy trying to use brute strength to cut down your enemies, but you aren't gifted with physical strength. You were given a great mind to make up for that, so use it. There's going to always be stronger enemies than you, so use that big brain of yours to your advantage."

I watched as he approached the dummy with a blink, gazing at him in wonder as he raised his sword to press against the face neck of the enemy.

"This wood is far too thick for you to cut all the way through. Like a suit of armor, you can't cut through it. So you have to find a weakness. Find where the armor, or the wood in this case, is the thinnest. In this case and in most cases, that weak spot will be at the neck. Target it. Use your sword as an extension of yourself.

“You're using your sword as a weapon, but you should really think it to be an extension of your arm. Swing with both power and grace. Swing with the pride and honor of a knight, and your sword will always aim true." With that, he stepped behind me and sheathed his sword only to pick up my own and place it back in my hands. Putting his paws on my shoulders, he whispered into my ear. "You can do this, Calamity. You're my sister, and that means you're stubborn and smarter than anyone else I know. But, you're also a knight, which means you can use those to bring about justice into this world and obtain what anyone else would think impossible. Together, it means that anything you set your mind to you can accomplish. Just believe in yourself, and the answer will always present itself to you."

...

"Mnnnn..." My brain seemed to literally be pounding against my skull, my ears ringing as I slit my eyes open just a crack to wince at the light of the world around me.

Reality sunk in as the fields of green Avalon gave way to the cold stone walls of my prison. Ears flat against my head, I slowly tried to move my aching body to ensure that nothing was broken. Although nothing seemed to be, it didn't help that every muscle in my body protested at being moved.

However, it appeared that Valerian hadn't attempted to rechain me to the wall or even restrain me again for that matter. I suppose it was because he was too afraid to enter the cell with me after that whole ordeal.

"Well, good morning, sweet cheeks~" An annoying voice added to the incessant ringing in my ears, and I grimaced as raised my head toward the sound. "That was a mighty amusing show you put on for us, darlin'. Ain't seen nothing like it since I've been here, that's for sure."

I rested my gaze on the cell diagonal from mine filled with empty wooden boxes and seemingly unneeded furniture. Atop the pile of junk was a yellow-clad fire elf, smirking at me as he kicked his legs back and forth nonchalantly with a single hand toying with his goatee.

Glaring at the tiny creature, I sat up sluggishly to raise my paws to my face in an attempt to slide the tight leather straps around my muzzle off. As I managed to fiddle with the material and slip it off, my ears twitched at the high-pitched whistle from the fire elf. "Ooo-la-la~ Muy bueno, sen-or-i-ta~"

Licking my chops, I turned to him with a narrowed gaze. "What are you talking about, vermin?"

"I just like making it known what I like, and must I say: Me likey~" He winked at lewdly, and I tilted my head confusedly. What was that irritating snack talking about?

"Ah, you foxes really are the daft type when it comes to flirting, aren't you? Must be that whole knight's honor thing."

Rubbing my sore snout, I sneered and rolled my eyes. "I don't see what reason you have to flirt with a creature that is more than capable of devouring you in two bites."

"I just like what I see from a distance, is all. I like it...very much," he chuckled, gesturing to himself with a wave from the chin down.

Tilting my head with one ear raised, I followed his hand for a few moments before what he was implying sunk in. My eyes widened in both embarrassment and fury, and for the first time in a long time, I found my cheeks heating and myself duly flustered. I scrambled to grab my tail, pulling it over the front of me as I growled.

"You pervert."

"Just pointing out the obvious, mi amor~" he crooned with a shrug. "Besides, you're covered in fur. You foxes and your modesty, honestly."

"It's a knight's honor!" I hissed, lowering my chin against the tip of my tail and baring my fangs. "Knights are bound to be humble and chaste!"

The fire elf merely laughed, holding his stomach as he flailed his feet in his fit of mirth. "HA! HAHAHAHAHA! W-well it's a little late for that now, darlin'! What we didn't see when you stood up to that wizard, we certainly saw when you were out like a light! Do yourself a favor and don't worry about it. Can't stop me from looking anyhow~!"

"WHY YOU SICK, TWISTED, LITTLE-!"

"Reynard!" A pan flew across the room to hit the tiny elf off his mountain of boxes, and I blinked as I relaxed and turned my attention toward the direction in which it had been thrown. "Cut it out and give the pretty lady some slack."

A dog in tattered suit growled as he leaned against one of the walls, arms crossed across his chest. He wasn't hardly more than half my height, bulldog face allowing for drool to escape from the corners of his mouth. Another companion was with him: from what I had gathered he was a sibling of some sort as the only difference between the two was the placing of brown patches on their otherwise white fur.

"Don't try to be the honorable one here, Baxter. You were looking too," muttered a nearby Firebird, perched in the same cell as Reynard the Fire Elf. He huffed as he cleaned out his feathers irritably.

Baxter huffed. "It's hard not to...It's either her or Brutis, and I'm pretty sure I know which one's more attractive."

Baxter's cellmate, which I assumed must be Brutis, growled as he raised his head to glare at the other bulldog. "Ya sayin' I'm not attractive, mate?"

"Do you have a pair upstairs,  _ mate _ ?" Baxter argued.

Brutis stood as the two growled at each other, snarling and drool falling in globs to the floor. All I could do was watch with a dumb blink. The thought that all these men had been staring at me while I was unconscious in such a lewd manner was...so revolting that I could feel the shudders crawling up and down my skin beneath the layers of red.

"Knock it off!" The cry ran through the dungeon, silencing the tussle between the two bulldogs. I followed the sound to a nearby lioness, stepping out from the darkness with her teeth bared. Wearing tribal clothes and a feather dangling from her ear, she wrapped her paws around the bars and licked her chops. "Unless you'd rather be next on my menu, boys."

The bulldogs stared at her with wide eyes before whimpering and lowering their heads. Baxter sniffled and tried to suck up a string of drool. "Sorry, lass."

The lioness went by the name of Keira, a mass murderer in Zafaria that took great pride in killing the favorite lionesses of prides in order to gain the most power and favor. She was ruthless, cunning, and by far the most threatening of anyone in the dungeon. Out of all of my fellow inmates, she was the only one to have ever made me feel even a hint of fear in the entirety of my time here. I'm not sure if it's the way she speaks and presents herself, her story, or the necklace of bloody teeth she wears around her neck as tokens.

Keira had been here the longest, followed by Reynard and his bird companion: Felix. The two bulldogs have hardly been here a week, and apparently they were only being held until they could be turned into the Marleybone Police. Nearby was a cell full of imps and a leprechaun by the name of Jack Lantern (an obviously dull and probably fake name in my own opinion). They were all misfits. Keira the Murderer, Baxter and Brutis: the heist duo, Jack Lantern the smuggler, Reynard the insatiable trickster, and I have no idea why Felix is here. He's been here longer than I have, and he's talked only a smidge more than the imps that hardly do more than giggle and say "Poof" incessantly.

"Forgive their eyes, dear. I'd tear them out for you if I would be so allowed," she purred with a smirk, leaning against the bars as she inspected her claws. "The time

will come soon enough, I suppose."

I hugged my tail a little more against myself, looking forward toward the magic mirror across the room. "Agreed."

I figure that we'll all be dead soon enough. For Keira, it was only a matter of time. She was slated for an execution sometime in the next week. I don't know the fate of anyone else in this room, but her's has been set in stone for quite some time. Not that I'm particularly bothered by it. She made the choice to kill, and she'll pay for it with her own life. It's the way justice works.

I'll likely end up with the same fate, even though my only attempt to kill has failed. Apparently, my ability to administer justice is not one written for me in the stars.

I lean against a wall before sliding down to the floor, crossing my ankles over each other and still wrapping myself in my own tail. How long will I have?

"Oh! Here he is! The man of the hour! How do ya do, how do ya do?" I can hear Reynard coo, and I lift my head to see the form of the one and only wizard step through the magic mirror and into the dungeon.

"Be quiet, Reynard," Valerian sighs, scowling at the fire elf as he passes by his cell and approaches mine. His cool, fuchsia gaze meets my own, and he stares at me without saying anything for several tense moments. The air is cold, frigid and felt by all others in the room. I can hear an imp nearby say "Poof!" as they all huddle in the corner of their cell, obviously affected by tension between the wizard and me. His shoulders are set, and I notice that once again he's changed whilst keeping the same ugly purple and yellow color. I suppose I must have ruined his last cloak. The form fitting robe is complete with a cape, and lightning designs garnish the fine clothing with the characteristic flair of Storm.

"I see you're awake," is all he says to me, and I notice the sword-like wand in his left hand: a mockery of a knight's tool.

I snicker, left ear flicking irritably as I twitch my whiskers and speak. "Tssk, you could win a prize for that observation, wizard. Are you going to kill me?"

"Depends, are you going to try and do the same to me?" His grip tightens around his wand, regarding me suspiciously.

At this time, a smart knight might have denied it, but my blood was too hot and my tongue too fierce to say anything otherwise. "Any chance I get."

He blinks, and I suppose that's not the answer he was expecting. The surprise on his face is enough to make me smirk. However, it's short lived, and his expression narrow once more. "Why?"

"If you don't know why, then you are an idealistic fool," I snap, gritting my teeth. Surely, he knows the crimes he's committed. If not, I can only assume that he thinks that they are pardonable because the majority of society has deemed them righteous.

"You called me a murderer yesterday. Is that why? Because you think I'm a murderer?"

I have to hold back a bitter laugh. "No. I know you are."

Valerian blinks once again, and I think I have come to the conclusion that the looks of surprise on his face are my own kind of ecstasy. Confusion has set in now, and it's plastered on his face like sick, cheap wallpaper. "I don't know what you mean."

I can hear Keira's laughter from nearby, and both Valerian's and my own attention have turned toward the crazed lioness whose eyes are wide in a frighteningly revolting mirth. "Oh, you're too precious! You've killed more than I have, wizard! You're just mad because someone called you out on it!"

"I AM NOT A MURDERER!" he snaps, and his cheeks and neck become painted in a furious red that rivals my own fur.

"Oh really~? What about the lost souls you collect from daily in order to create enemies for your party guests to amuse themselves with?" she purrs, licking her chops.

"They're already dead!"

She laughs again. "They're still living lost souls. By extracting their animus, you are preventing them from ever moving on to an afterlife~"

That surprised looks is back again, but Keira gives him no time to answer. "What about the hoards of creatures under the Shadow Queen's control that you so unfairly killed?"

"I-I...They were part of the Umbra Legion trying to destroy the world!"

"They were creatures with no choice or will, but instead of trying to find a way to save them, you outright killed them. You're no better than I am, puny wizard."

Valerian looks away, and he lets out a long sigh. "I don't do it because I enjoy it. When you're trying to save the lives of millions of others, there isn't time. It was either them or the entire Spiral." He raises his head to look at me. "I'm sorry if I killed someone you love. I can't bring them back. I'm not a Necromancer. I'm deeply sorry for my loss, but I hope you understand that I-"

"Shut up," I hiss, raising to my feet. At that simple action, Valerian takes two step backwards in order to keep from getting within arm's length of me. "I don't want your sympathy. I want justice."

"JUSTICE?! You mean by killing me?!" Valerian blinks and huffs stubbornly. "And then what? If the cycle of justice works the way you think it does, then someone is going to have to kill you. And then someone will have to kill them. And the cycle of death will continue. It's a pointless journey. Give it up and go home!"

"I'll go home when you're foaming at the mouth at my feet," I snarl, and my paws wrap around the bars of my cell as I glare daggers at the wizard.

His brows narrow, knotting together in the middle as his fists curl at his sides. "Fine, then rot in this cell for all I care!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

He turns on his heels, marching straight back toward the magic mirror and stepping through it without looking back. I'm merely left in my cell with more fury than I know what to do with.

The tell-tale whistle of Reynard breaks the tense silence that settles after Valerian leaves. "Man...that was dramatic...If you're that fiery now, I wonder what you'd be like in-!"

CLANG!

I wonder where Baxter keeps all those pans…


	3. Cold

Winter has set in...At least, that’s what I presume anyway. 

The ever present cold in these cells has increased in severity, and I watch as my breath billows from my nose in a rolling cloud out into the atmosphere around me, running away with more of my warmth. A certain, painful numbness has set in, a thousand icy needles piercing my flesh and sinking deep into my core. 

I sniff, trying to keep my runny nose from dripping down my muzzle, and fist my paws in my own tail as I try to press it harder against myself to no avail. My ears twitch at even the slightest noise: from the imps shuffling about their cell to the sound of Jack Lantern flipping coins against the walls to the slight whistle of wind slipping between the tiniest of cracks of the stone inside. 

I’m surprised that the snow hasn’t found its way inside or that frost hasn’t started to gather, but nothing makes its way inside to change the scenery in the slightest.

Everything appears to be the same...Although, I know it isn’t. Keira was lead away a few days ago, leaving an empty cell beside mine. Baxter and Brutis were taken by the police just yesterday, and the only intelligent conversation left is Felix and Reynard. However, I’m not privy to start something with that lewd fire elf in the first place...especially since Baxter and his magically appearing pans are gone.  

It’s been awhile since I last saw that wizard. Not that it bothers me in the slightest. His pet Kraken has been bringing us our meals during this time, and I must say that despite our situation, the meals are still decent and well-balanced. I suppose he cares more than he lets on, but I’d rather him send blankets (or maybe my CLOTHES would be nice) and a key out of here than a plate of food and a Kraken whose skin is getting awfully too dry. He obviously doesn’t know how to take care of it well enough, and the cold, dry air definitely isn’t helping it in the slightest. Truth be told, I have sympathy for creatures like that kraken. It really is a shame to see them suffer due to the negligence of a master. Then again, it’s to be expected when being owned by a stupid wizard. 

I press myself further into the corner, trying to use my own body heat to warm up the area around me. My joints are aching and stiff from this position, but I’d rather be warm than try to save them. 

“Oi, cut out the chattering! You’re disturbing my thoughts!” I hear Reynard snip, and I glare at his scowling face from the corner of my eye. 

“Are you not cold, elf?” I sigh, tentatively raising my head. 

He crosses his arms with a grin and then jabs himself in the chest with his thumb. “Me? Hah! I’m a fire elf! We fire creatures are immune to the cold! Haven’t been cold a day in my life, no sir-ee!” 

It makes sense now that I think of it, but it nonetheless means nothing to me. It just means that he’ll keep bantering on and proclaiming his greatness. 

“Keep it down, Reynard. I’ve had enough of your pestering for a lifetime,” scolds his Firebird companion, and I watch as Felix cranes his head toward mine. “If we could cast a spell to warm you, we would.”

“If I could get over there, I wouldn’t need a spell to warm y-”

Felix slaps the fire elf with his wing, glaring daggers at him and embers shooting from the nostrils on his beak with a huff. 

I hold back a laugh as I watch the fire elf tumble backwards off the boxes and lands headfirst in the hole of a tattered sofa. “Why can’t you?” 

Reynard pulls his head out of the couch, taking off his hat and sticking out his tongue as he tries to swipe away the balls of cotton and pieces of fabric. A tiny little white ball stick to his mouth, and he pulls it away with a disgusted countenance. “Bleh! Ugh! What was that for?!”

Felix rolls his eyes. “You’re both a nuisance and an idiot...At any rate, we’re dispelled permanently.” He raises a long yellow leg, displaying a charm bracelet of some sort with the typical fire symbol. “It’s a dispel charm bracelet. As long as we wear it, we can’t cast fire magic. And only the one who placed it can take it off.”

My ears flatten, and I become crestfallen at this news. To think he’d take away even that... I suppose the only reason I don’t have one is because he didn’t know which one to use. Then again, I wouldn’t know how to use magic. I’ve never bothered to learn that revolting witchcraft. It would make me nothing less than a hypocrite. 

“I’m sorry to hear that…”

“‘Course ya are, lass...Means ye won’t be gettin’ even a wee bit warmar. But I ‘ave no sympathy for ya. Ya signed up fer this when ya tried to kill ‘im.” 

It’s the first time I’ve ever heard Jack speak, and I’m too intrigued by his accent for several seconds before I manage a response. “I know that, and I don’t regret what I did. Either I kill him or I die. That’s what I accepted before I came here.”

“Yer funeral, lassie. Dun expec’ me to show up. But if yer gonna try again, do it befur we’re all lyin’ bones on t’e floor.”

[I]“That won’t be happening, devil spawn.”

Valerian steps through the mirror, pushing a cart of our daily rations. His hat is missing, unkempt white hair sticking up in nearly every direction and yet somehow still perfectly framing those eyes. 

He stops in the middle of the room, and he waves his hands over each of the different plates before they vanish and reappear in each one of our cells. At least he’s smart enough to not try and hand them to us. When he finishes, he merely looks around the room and finally rests his gaze on my form in the farthest corner. 

Eyes narrowed, I lower my head to press my jaw against my chest, and I bristle as a low growl fills the air. I probably would have made a frightening picture if only I could have hidden the shivers racking my body. 

“Do you have too much pride to accept a blanket?”

“I would rather my clothes,” I snarl, raising my hackles and flattening my ears. My fisted paws clench tighter in the soft hairs of my tail, and I ignore the slight pinch it causes. 

Valerian sighs, face softening as he regards me with likely the closest semblance to kindness I have ever seen on his countenance. “You know I can’t give them to you.”

“Aye, I wouldn’t give them to ya either, senorita. I think I’d rather you without-”

“REYNARD! Learn some restraint!” Valerian snaps, and he turns on the fire elf with his wand pointing towards him. 

The fire elf holds up his hands in defense even though he’s grinning the entire time. “Go ahead. Better than being stuck here.”

“I think you’d be doing us all a favor,” I mutter, turning my head away. 

Valerian hesitates for a moment as if he were really considering it, but he instead drops his hand and turns toward me. “You’re going to get sick like that.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I’m going to go get you a bl-”

“I SAID I’D BE FINE!” My dinner plate flies through the air but is too wide to go through the bars, instead hitting them with a deafening clang before clattering to the floor spilling a colorful array of food across the stone. 

The sound of the plate hitting the bars reverberate through the air, and Valerian flinches before he puffs out his chest. “Then freeze for all I care.”

He pushes the trolley out with him soon after, and put my forehead atop my knees with a deep sigh. The shudders race down my spine, body heat racing from my body but failing to ever return. My body and mind are at odds, but somehow I manage not to call after him as his body is absorbed through the fake glass.

If only I had…

…

My lungs were about to burst. Every breath was agony...There was a fire in my chest, burning the precious oxygen I so desperately needed. I was gasping, begging for air that the world around me just couldn’t seem to give me. With every inhale, I could feel that fire greedily sucking it all down, leaving me with nothing but a tickle and then a feeling akin to someone wrapping their fist around my lungs and squeezing out the life within. 

The world around me was naught but a collage of colors, spinning and making me dizzy every time I tried to lift my head to make sense of everything...of anything. Everything was so cold...yet so hot at the same time. 

My body was trembling, and it heaved when I coughed--something that only added gasoline to the flame within. Panting and shaking and begging for air, I tried to focus on the memories of green Avalon and of the feeling of warmth as I lay in my own bed in my own burrow and listened to the sound of Agravaine’s stories of the great battles he’d partaken in and the dragons he had slain. 

I can hear people whispering around me, but they all seem to be talking in a different language...all muddled together in a great mess that I cannot decipher. There’s a great whine of metal...and I try to lift my head to see what’s happening, but I can only make out a great shadow looming above me. My eyes are stinging from the heat, watering and threatening to spill out over my cheeks. 

That’s when I feel a foreign heat envelope me, wrapping its strong arms around me in an embrace I haven’t felt in a long time. That’s when I see him.

He’s there in flesh and blood, looking at me with a concerned expression that I haven’t seen in many moons. 

Agravaine...He’s finally come for me…

There’s a certain joy that begins to well inside me, and I can feel the corners of my mouth twitch into the slightest smile. The world begins to fade around him completely into a darkness that nearly matches the black of his fur. 

My eyes grow heavy and cold gradually falls away as I lay helpless in my brother’s arms. For the first time in a long time, I’m completely at peace...and the hate in my cauldron seems to vanish completely…

As the visage of my brother slowly fades into the darkness, I’m left only to stare at my brother’s eyes, and just as my consciousness finally slips into nothingness, I faintly wonder why they’re purple…


	4. The Cookie

Birds...I can hear...birds chirping…

They’re song birds…

I can recognize them because I used to hear them when I would travel through Caliburn to Abbey Road with Agravaine for fresh supplies. 

Nostalgia begins to seep in, and I can picture myself standing atop the hill in Caliburn, watching knights joust below and the friars arguing over who is truly the king’s favorite. Agravaine is standing beside me, and he puts his hand on my shoulder to steep down and whisper in my ear, “Knights are tasked with protecting all of Avalon...including everyone here, dearest Calamity. I know that there will be no finer knight to protect them than you.”

A smile graces my lips, and I roll over to pull the blankets closer arou-…

Blankets? 

I must still be dreaming of Avalon...That I’m still in bed, dozing away the day until Agravaine beats me with my own pillows, telling me that a knight doesn’t laze around like a drunken tavern bum. 

But it doesn’t smell of hay and steel...And these blankets aren’t made of the fine beard hairs of Hobgoblins. 

So where am I?

I crack my eyes open to the bright world around me, wincing at the light and slowly adjusting to my new surroundings. My once square confinement has been rounded in a near perfect circle, and the stone walls have given way to a soft purple, storm-wracked wallpaper. Light pours in from the tall, glass windows, illuminating the room and all the colors I haven’t seen in all the time I’d been locked in my cell. 

Bookshelves line the walls, and the books move on their own, constantly flying about the room and resorting themselves. A desk with paperwork is neatly organized nearby, and it is beside that desk that I notice the golden birdcage with the two songbirds inside that I’d heard previously. A fireplace burns beneath one of the windows to my left, and it is lined with picture frames from different worlds, and I can make out Valerian in majority of them. Quite obviously, it is more or less a recollection of all of the worlds he’s visited and ‘saved.’ 

As I take in the sight of the purple clothes hanging in the nearby wardrobe and the storm-cloud patterns on the bed sheets I’m wrapped in, it becomes blatantly obvious where I am.

A deep and unsettling weight adds to the one already present on my chest, and I swallow as I turn toward the nightstand beside the mattress. Sitting there, and likely already pleasantly cold, is a plate of sugar cookies and glass of milk that is adorned by a note each. “Eat me” and “drink me” they command, and I can’t help but roll my eyes at the childish joke. Anyone in Avalon would know the tale of Wonderland...Even though it really is just a tale of the first time a wizard stepped foot into Avalon. 

But I wouldn’t touch those cookies with a ten-foot tail. 

Instead, I grumble to myself as I try to sit up in bed with a wince. The knot in my chest is still a painful reminder, and I find myself laying back down gradually with teeth bared. Glaring at the ceiling, I curse my own state of affairs. Here I am in the enemy’s quarters, and I can’t even get out of BED?! 

CURSE THE GOD-DAMN, MOTHER LOVING SPAWN OF MORGANTHE! 

Tentatively, I roll onto my side, and then I notice the tight grip on my wrist. Pulling it out from under my aching body, I held it up to the light and growled. 

He chained me.

When I thought it couldn’t get any worse…

“I couldn’t chance you running while I was gone...But I doubt you could if you wanted…”

I don’t even have to look to know who spoke, and my gaze reluctantly flits over in a glare toward Valerian Legendmancer, standing nonchalantly with his arms crossed in the doorway. A cocky smirk is slapped across his face, and he uncrosses his arms to shut the door behind him. 

“How are you feeling?”

He probably know exactly how I’m feeling, that fomori-dung. I’m not even inclined to answer the question, so I simply turn my head away to watch a book fly from its position on its shelf and place itself snugly between two different books of another shelf. 

“Oh...so you’re ignoring me now? Real mature,” he states, and I can hear the eye-roll in his voice. I watch out of the corner of my eye as he pulls up the chair from the desk and sits backwards in it beside the bed. Arms lying across the top and resting his chin upon them, he continues. “You should thank me, you know? I saved your life. I didn’t have to; I could have just left you to die in that cell.”

It’s a bitter reminder of reality...I can vaguely recall the brief moments of consciousness where I would see him attending over me, pressing a rag to my forehead and whispering sappy words of encouragement. It was like something one would imagine when thinking of a time they were sick in the presence of a loved one.

The thought of him being that person makes my skin crawled, and somewhere deep down, I’m starting to wish he HAD left me. 

Valerian sighs, looking down at the ground for a moment before returning his vision to me. “Will you at least eat something? You haven’t had much for the last few days...Just what I could manage to feed you without you throwing it back up everywhere.”

Days? I’ve been out that long?! I would have imagined a day...maybe two at most, but the way he makes it sound is as if it has been nearly a week. There’s a pit in my stomach as I imagine what he could have or what he might have done to me in all this time. I notice with sinking horror that he hasn’t given me back my clothes back, and the thought that he might have taken a knight’s chastity is one of my darkest nightmares. 

However, I try to bring myself back to the present moment, and at his question, my eyes narrow. I don’t want anything he tries to give me. Whatever he does, it’s likely poisoned or enchanted with a magic only the King knows. Shaking my head, I press the blankets harder against my chest. 

“What? If I was going to do something to you, I would have already done it. Come on. I saved your life. Doesn’t your knight code have honor? Shouldn’t you owe someone who worked so hard to keep you from ending up six feet in the ground?” 

“I’d only consider us even…” I mutter, still refusing to look at the white-haired wizard completely. 

“Really? Are you serious?! EAT SOMETHING, YOU STUBBORN FOX!” 

I wish then that I had been paying more attention to him. A sudden weight collapsed on top of me, and I let out a yelp as I realize that the storm wizard has jumped on top of me with a scowl. My arms move on their own accord, flailing and trying to bat away my attacker as I growl, but I’m still weak. I’m no match for his superior strength as he grabs hold of my wrists with one hand and procures a cookie from the other, trying to shove it in my mouth, but I turn my head away in retaliation. I squirm. He tries to use his weight to keep me still. The struggle continues on as I shake my head, try to free my hands, and growl. Why I don’t bite him, I don’t know. I guess it has to do with the rule of never biting the hand that feeds you...Regardless, my chest is aching by this point, and my already tired body is too fatigued to carry on much longer, so I buck my hips in an attempt to throw him off…

It only makes it worse. 

...This day just keeps getting fricking BETTER.

While it unbalances him, it sends him sprawling forward on top of me, and the position we end in is...less than favorable to either of us. My arms pinned above my head, his elbow on a pillow beside my head, body sprawled across my own exposed one (thanks to our struggle completely knocking off the blankets), and faces practically millimeters apart from each other to the point where our heavy breaths mingled in the minimal space between us--it paints a very uncomfortable picture to say the least. I can feel his chest heaving against mine, feel the warmth through his clothes as a similar one spread across my flustered face. For the first time, our wide eyes meet for the same reason, and we are completely silent for several tense moments. 

Every muscle in my body is frozen in place, too scared to move an inch. Jaw slack, words can’t even form on my tongue for my mind is going far too quickly to process anything. His semi-long white hair has fallen down with the help of gravity, and I can feel it tickle my snout, though I dare not sneeze. 

My heart is fluttering inside my heaving chest, and I could feel my pulse thrumming throughout my body. Whatever pain I was in is completely masked by a pure adrenaline that leaves me absolutely speechless. I feel so helpless...but...at the same time...I...I think I enjoy it: this odd feeling within. 

“Uhhh…” The surprised and flustered sound that falls from his pale lips is the only thing that breaks the silence, and hesitantly swallows as his brain works to process the predicament we’re both in. However, it seems though that the moment he blinks is the moment he finally comes to his senses and crawls off of me and the bed with a bright pink flush to his otherwise white face. He doesn’t even make eye contact with me, merely holding out the half-crumbled cookie toward me blindly. “Just eat it, please?”

This time, I don’t even question it, and I simply reach out my paw to take the cookie and eat it without hesitance. It’s dry...probably left out for a while now as it awaited my awakening. I don’t even want to think about what the milk is like now. However, I can detect the faint hint of raisin in the crumby cookie, and the sweet taste is welcome on my tastebuds.

I make short work of the cookie, and the whisper that comes out is more out of habit than my own train of thought. 

[I]“Thank you…” 

Valerian only stupidly nods, and I think that he found the flying books as entertaining as I had...

As he looks back at me from the corner of his eyes, the blush grows brighter, and he completely turns his head away. “Um...You might want to...uh...fix...the blankets...And I think I’ll go find you some clothes now...Just...uh...um...e-enjoy the cookies…” he manages to stutter out, fidgeting with his hands nervously. 

I contain my yelp of surprise as I realize what he’s implying, and I grab the mussed blankets to pull them over myself quickly. My heart is hammering in my sore chest, and I pull the blankets up to my eyes and over my muzzle, watching Valerian briskly striding toward the door and stumbling over a mystery item that I can’t quite make out from where I am. 

He turns around at the door as if he is about to say something, but he only nods once before hastily grabbing the door handle and walking out to leave me in the silence of his own bedroom. 

I tried to comfortably lay on my side, still going over what had just happened in my mind…

So close...I had been so close to him, and looking back now, I realize that I completely blew my chance to get my revenge. It would have been so easy to do as I had planned to do so long ago in my cell, and bury my teeth in his throat until he became as red as my own fur. But I froze...Why did I freeze like that? 

Maybe it was just the way those purple eyes looked at me, so surprised and vulnerable at the same time...Like a mouse caught in a live trap…

Or was it the flutter in my heart when he came so close to me? Was that normal? 

I shake my head to try not to think about it. Whatever...I’d have my chance again. 

A scowl makes its way back onto my lips, and I press my cheek against the pillows as I stare forward toward the wall. However, I can make out the plate of cookies in front of me…

Maybe just one wouldn’t hurt...


	5. The Rose Beneath the Moon

A miserable wail slices through dead night, settling over barren lands with no ears in which to earn pity. Not even the moon peers out from behind its cloudy prison, nor does the stars.

Fog rolls across the earth, embracing it in a frigidly bitter blanket that brings no comfort to any living creature that it touches. The dead arms of trees sway of their own volition, dancing to the song of death on this windless night. 

_ Tap. Tap. Tap. _

The sound of boots on wet cobblestone mingles with the poignant whimpers in the night. Drying blood splatters with every step, following the trail of dark crimson to the body aimlessly crawling away from the shadow nonchalantly approaching. 

Tattered yellow clothes cling to the wizard’s body, and he holds on pointlessly to the broken staff of his wand. Tears mingled in the puddle pooling beneath him, slowly draining him of what little life was left inside. His mahogany, water-clouded gaze dares to look over his shoulder, and he cries out in terror as he sees a glistening blue orb slowly making its way toward him. The light it casts illuminates the vermilion trail he’d left behind, and the stained black boots of his attacker. 

Nails digging into cobblestone, he tries vainly to drag his failing, limp body forward and farther away, but deep down...deep down he knows.

_ He is going to die _ .

Panic’s cruel tendrils crawl throughout every inch of him, sinking deep into his mind as he turns and throws what is left of his wand toward the shadowed visage only to have it bounce off the shadow futilely and disappear from sight. 

“GO AWAY, YOU SICK MONSTER! GET AWAY FROM ME!” he screams, voice hoarse and choking on the bile rising from his stomach. The stench of blood is overpowering, and the knowledge that it wasn’t just any blood but his own was a reality that was almost too much to handle. Every fiber of his being was trembling, and his crying escalated as he scrambled to keep moving. 

“Urchk-” A sharp pain and debilitating weight presses against his spine, putting a stop to his movements. Eyes wide in terror, he tries to squirm out from under the weight but to no avail.

“You think you can run from me, wizard?” 

A cheeky, white smile appears in the darkness, brightened by the light of the attacker’s staff. Cruel, violet eyes narrow and glisten with a twisted glee. “Tell me where he is.”

“I-I-Uhn! I dun...don’t-”

“YOU KNOW! DON’T LIE YOU PIECE OF FILTH!” Raising his boot and bringing it down mercilessly on the deep lesion across the myth wizard’s back, he brings out a shriek akin to an animal caught in a trap. 

“I-I don’t! I don’t!” The wizard’s words come out blubbering--snot, blood, and tears all streaming down in a colorful waterfall that added to the red spilling out beneath him and steadily growing by the second. 

An equally terrifying giggle interrupts the wizard’s sobs, and the attacker raises his staff to shine upon a woman dressed in a black uniform. Curled, green hair falls to her shoulders, framing an otherwise innocent face with equally emerald eyes. Soft freckles line her cheeks, and if it hadn’t been for the scenario and the bloodthirsty gaze, she could have passed for an irreproachable girl. 

She is leaning upon an unproportionally large, crystal hammer, and she licks her lips as she stares at the whimpering victim on the ground. “I don’t think we’ll get anything from this one either. Are you sure you’re asking the right questions, darling?”

“Don’t nag me, Lilu. I don’t have time for this,” he snarls, and he raises the light just high enough in order for the wizard on the ground to make out his features. 

Clad in a dark, black leather with spiked shoulders, the otherwise tan skin of the wizard gives way to pure white hair crowned with two long and curved horns. He holds his head high with pride, and his violet eyes contain all the cruelty in the world. 

“You don’t have time for me, Val?” whines Lilu, her pale lips tugging into a childish pout. “A man who only knows his work and forgets the feel of a woman is no fun for anyone.”

One eye twitches as he glares at his green-haired companion. “Don’t call me that.”

“Oooooh, because VALKOOR is SO much more frightening~” Lilu laughs as she rolls her eyes, gripping her hammer tighter in her mirth. 

The wizard on the ground moans as he can make out two pips floating at his fingertips. His body has begun to go numb, darkness prodding at the corners of his vision. Sound is becoming nothing more than background noise, giving way instead to silence and the sound of his own heart faltering. However, he knows what he must do. 

Tilting his arm slightly, he lets his last card slip onto the bloody cobblestone and presses his shaking fingertips to the smooth surface. With every fiber of strength left within, he manages to whisper, “T...Te...Tell...Va...ler...i...an…”

And with those words, the banter between the two others cease. Both pairs of eyes are on him as the card begins to glow and then finally vanish in a yellow light. 

“Well...perhaps he isn’t as dumb as he looks~” croons Lilu, a sinister smirk spreading from cheek to cheek. 

Valkoor blinks stupidly for a second, regarding the wizard beneath his boot before his eyes widen and steps away only to violently kick the yellow-clad wizard in the ribs. “YOU-!”

The wizard screams in pain, sobs beginning once more as the adrenaline fades into nothing but a pure, white-hot agony. He can feel the rest of his ribs breaking as he’s rolled several feet from the force of the impact. 

“YOU PIECE OF SHIT! TELL US WHERE HE IS!” Valkoor grabs the wizard by his cloak, hauling him up by the tattered fabric with one hand before the other repeatedly bashes the other’s face until the cloth finally gives way and sends the wizard falling back toward the ground. 

Too weak to cover his face, the wizard can’t fight back as he feels the blood gushing from his nose and mouth, teeth falling to the back of his throat, and he gags on them as he hits the ground with dull thud. 

“That’s enough, Val.”

Coughing, the wizard rolls onto his side as he hacks up the teeth with a copious amount of red to go with it. Vision fading, every breath is like another kick to the ribs. He can feel his broken ribs ripping into the soft flesh of his lungs, allowing every precious breath escape inside him and instead replacing them with fresh blood and other bodily fluids. 

Lilu slowly approaches the body on the ground, holding up a hand to the white-haired man beside her. Kneeling without a care of the blood as it stains her black-clothed knees, she gently lifts the top half of the wizard into her arms, cradling his head in the crook of her elbow. Gentle fingertips brush his cheek as she wipes away the tears. 

The wizard looks up into her gentle, green eyes, his own gaze slowly slipping away and half-lidded as if he were becoming lost in the forest of her stare.

“Oh...you poor thing…” she whispers, and the wizard can make out the gathering of tears in the corners of her eyes. “Cody...Your name is Cody Titanblood, isn’t it? That’s such a beautiful name. You don’t deserve this. It isn’t any of your fault, Cody. But I can make it all go away...I can take away all of your pain. Trust me, Cody...Look into my eyes...Trust me…”

He couldn’t help but continue to stare, and the more he stared, the more he could feel the pain slowly give way into nothingness as the numbness creeps up from his toes and toward his hips. Unconsciously, he allows the slightest of nods as he feels the trickle of her green hair against his face canopying over him. 

“I can make it go away...Just tell me where he is. Tell me where the Lightbringer is. Tell me where Valerian Legendmancer is, and I will save you.”

“Va...ler...i...an...is…”

She lowers her head to his lips to listen to his whisper, and she closes her eyes in content before raising her head to look at him with that same innocent smile. “Thank you.” 

With that, she cups his cheek and strokes it with her thumb before tilting her head and pressing her lips tenderly to Cody’s. Lilu lowers him back down, and she stands before turning away from the myth wizard. Resting his cheek against the sticky ground, he watches her in a daze walk away from him only to pause and look over her shoulder with a wide grin. 

“I’ll make sure to send Valerian your regards, wizard.”

With a giggle, her eyes widen as she approaches him once again. However, he can hear an odd scraping sound amongst the pattering of blood beneath her boots, and he follows her form down only to see the hammer dragging behind her. 

His eyes widen, and the panic sets in deep as he opens his mouth to beg. 

“NO! NONONONONONONO!”

His helpless screams fill the air as she raises the hammer high above her head with a mad cackle, Cheshire grin splitting her crazed countenance. The clouds finally part to allow the moon to look down upon the earth with its sorrowed glow. It watches as its light glints in the crystal of the hammer and-

_ SPLAT! _

The moon shone upon a beautiful red rose wrapped in fogged blanket. 


	6. Unexpected Visitors

The rest of the day came and went with no sign of the wizard who had promised me actual clothes. Instead, his loyal Kraken presented me with a bowl of tomato soup and sliced cuts of ram tenderloin. The meal was as decent as ever, and it lead me to question whether or not it was Valerian or another servant of his who cooked the meals of this manor. 

As I wake the next morning, my jaws open wide of their own accord to let loose a yawn into the empty air. Compared to yesterday, the ache in my chest has substantially decreased. I’m starting to feel like my old self, and as I recline against the veritable mountain of pillows against the headboard, I begin to ponder what the last few months mean in the long run. Is fate trying to deter me from my mission? 

No. That’s preposterous. These newfound predicaments have merely proven to become nothing but simple roadblocks on the way to my ultimate goal.

As my strength slowly returns to me, the options will begin to present themselves to me. I’m sure of it. However, for the time being at least, I’ll play along with whatever game that wizard is playing. 

Curiously, I pull slightly against the chain around my wrist and realize that the iron extends under the bed, leaving plenty of slack for me to work with. Ears perked and alert for any warning signs that the anyone might return to check on me, I cautiously swung my legs over the bed and slid off the mattress to touch my bare feet to the floor. 

This was it. I could just reach under the bed now, find where I was chained to, unlatch myself, and I was technically home free. I could sneak out a window or tiptoe out the door and down the stairs. That stupid wizard wouldn’t see anything coming. I’d kill him and be out of here in no time. 

With a sinister smirk, I began to tenderly push myself to stand when I heard three distinct knocks on the door. 

“Hello~? Are you awake, dearie?” 

How did I not hear anyone come up the stairs?! Annoyance sets in as I grit my teeth and quickly jump back into bed, pulling the blankets up to my shoulders--ears flat. “Go away,” I growl. I have no idea who’s on the other side of the door, but I have no patience for anyone at the moment. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” 

The door creeps open, and between the door and its facing manifests the long-nosed, spectacled face of a woman I’ve never seen before. As she steps into the room, her slouched form becomes more apparent. She sports a near orange-colored hair striped with greys and white--touched with age and topped with a brown hat that matches her likewise homespun chocolate, long-sleeved shirt and blue jean skirt. Large, obnoxious boots thud against the wooden floor as she lugs a large suitcase with her. Setting it down near one of the bookshelves, she adjusts her glasses and then pulls at the white frills adorning the hem of her shirt. “Well, good morning there. Quite toasty in here compared to the outside, isn’t it?”

“It’s fine…” I mutter. What the hell she’s doing here is anyone’s guess. I instead turn my gaze toward the flickering fireplace nearby. 

She chuckles merrily, taking off her hat and setting it on top of her suitcase. “Aren’t you a spirited one? Valerian told me you would be.”

The name Valerian sets in beneath my skin like hot needles pressing in from every direction. It’s a word that crawls through my fur like tiny parasites, sifting through every strand to further irritate my nerves. What does she know about me anyway?

“Hmmm, you two don’t seem to be getting along much at the moment either,” she observed, something that should have been blatantly obvious thanks to my restraints. The older woman smirked as she approached the bed, much to my displeasure. “But I hope we can get off to the right foot. So, let’s start with those chains. Can’t be getting dressed with those, now can we?”

She snapped, and the chain around my wrist fell off without hesitance. Blinking stupidly at it for several moments, I couldn’t believe that for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t wearing any constraints. However, as I looked toward the door, I couldn’t believe how stupid she was. 

Without a moment to lose, I jumped from the bed toward the door in a single leap, landing on both feet before sprinting forward with my hand outstretched toward the handle. My fingers barely touched the handle when-

_ SNAP! _

Xxx

**_*Valerian’s POV*_ **

Trash. 

Trash.

Trash.

Not happening.

Trash.

A deep sigh falls past my lips as I haphazardly fling envelopes over my shoulder. Honestly, you save the universe once, and then it’s like you’re entitled to millions of fan mail and random requests every single friggin’ day. 

Throwing the last piece of mail aside, I rest my elbows on the table, burying my face in my hands with a groan.

“Master? Should I throw these in the fire?” 

Skeet.

Despite his small stature, meek demeanor, and the single antler he’s sporting in place of two, he’s always been my most trusted servant. Next to Dyvim, Skeet has been the most spirited Burrower I have ever met. 

“Go ahead. Either that or give them to Fluffy. He loves to chew on paper,” I mutter with a slight nod, and I can almost hear the Amethyst Hound beneath my chair licking his chops as he watches Skeet pick up the envelopes one by one. 

“Fluffy? Sir, don’t you think you could have come up with a more creative name than that?”

I open my eyes to glare through my fingers at the Burrower, frown tugging at my lips. “He was in the middle of hatching when I got him. I had like...point three seconds to come up with something and that’s all I could think of. Besides, Mariah was with me, and she literally kept chanting it in my ear.”

Skeet smirks as he tosses an envelope toward Fluffy, the hound catching it before it hits the ground and nearly inhaling it. The rest of the mail is promptly thrown in the nearby fireplace, the fire whooshing as it devours the paper greedily. “It’s been quite a while since the whole gang has been together, hasn’t it?”

I sigh, resting my head on my hand as I watch the mouse warrior scuffle to the nearby cabinets and procure a bottle of Hive-Juice which I procured mass quantities of as a gift from the Queen Bee herself. As he sets a glass in front of me and pours the viscous liquid, I can’t help but take in his words. How long has it been since all of us have been in the same place? Cody has visited nearly weekly, Mariah and Scarlet have been here once in awhile, Angel hasn’t been here in a month, and I haven’t seen Vanessa since last Christmas nearly a year ago. In fact, I’m quite sure that the last time we were all together was that very same Christmas Party. 

“It has, and thank you,” I say as I take the glass into my hands slowly and stare into the yellow liquid. “Help yourself as well, Skeet. You’ve more than deserved it, my friend.”

“It’d be a pleasure, sir,” he humbly replies, pouring himself a glass before sitting in the cushioned red chair to be left that is likewise facing the flickering fireplace. The bottle is set on the end table between us, and he raises his glass toward me. “To the old days.”

Our glasses clink with a reverberating chime, and we both raise them to our lips to down the honey-like substance. I sip at my own, reveling in the sweet taste and memories. 

“Do you remember,” I begin with a nostalgic smile, feet propped up on the mahogany coffee table in front of us, “the time when Mariah tried to put grains of Kermes Fire in your shoes?”

“And then Scarlet panicked trying to save me-” he continues, his own smile growing with mine.

“-But the as soon as she picked them up and ran five feet-”

“-they blew up and covered her head-to-toe in black ash-”

“-that wouldn’t come off for a week,” I finished, both of us chuckling and eventually quieting down in a dull silence. 

“I remember Lily complaining that she could fix wounds, but not clothes, and then you tried to wash it out by casting a mini tempest. You ended up making her look like an overcooked fish,” Skeet continued with a mild giggle, and the reminder only stirred the deep ache in my chest. I assume that he picked up on it, for he was quick to apologize. “Oh! My sincerest apologies, sir! I didn’t mean to-”

“No...No...It’s fine. It’s all over now. I’ve already come to terms with what happened,” I mutter as I set my glass aside and intertwine my fingers just below my chin. My violet eyes narrow as I watch the flame dance in their stone prison, licking at the walls in desperation for more fuel and for more freedom. In a way, they remind me of the prisoner upstairs. 

Skeet lowers his ears and dips his head. “I don’t mean to bring up such a tragedy on such a sorrowful occasion. It’s been two years to the day, hasn’t it?”

Two years? Has it really been that long? 

“Time flies when you’re having fun, eh?” I manage, swallowing the lump in my throat, but by the concerned look on my companion’s face, I can tell he’s not impressed. 

“I’m sure that she would have wanted-”

KNOCK! KNOCK!

I can hear banging on the main doors, and my brows furrow together as I try to formulate who it might be. Eloise arrived an hour ago, as per scheduled, but I don’t recall ever asking anyone else to assist or to even come over in the first place. 

Skeet begins to rise to answer the door, but I hold up my hand. “It’s all right. I’ve got it.”

Taking my beloved Sword of Kings from its place on the nearby wall, I start toward the massive, wooden doors with a tense stride. Grip tight on the familiar handle, I pull back the door slightly to peer outside when I’m met with an unexpected sight. 

Winter greets me like a friend, chilling my bones as the wind creeps beneath my robe and up my arms. However, it’s nothing compared to the persons standing at my door. 

“VALERIAN~!”

A girl with bright red hair and a slightly less red grab throws herself at me with arms stretched wide. She clad in a Marleybonian dress that is unbuttoned to the point where I’m afraid that should another button pop loose, her cleavage will come tumbling out like numbers out of a Bingo machine. Her bangs are gelled back while the rest of her hair is pulled to the side in a long braid. Tights hugging her legs with ankle-high high-heels, her scant uniform is enough to make me question how she’s not freezing in this weather. Then again, I’ve never heard of a Fire Wizard being cold. 

“Ma-Mariah,” I manage, eyes wide as I hesitantly embrace her back. Her cheek is rubbing against mine in the most uncomfortable fashion, and my cheeks heat to the same color of her fiery hair. “Wha-What are you doing h-here?”

“Why, I came to visit you on such a dreary day, of course! I knew you were likely making a big fuss about it, so we thought we’d surprise you~!” she coos as she steps back with both hands on my shoulders. 

“We?” Looking past the fire witch, I can make out a familiar head of white and the nostalgic yet gloomy downcast gaze of Scarlet Skullsplitter. Clad in a Dworgyn-style robe and boots, her hands are clasped together behind her bast as she stares at her feet with a touch of pink across her nose and cheeks. Hair hanging over her eyes, I can still tell its her by the mumble she provides. 

“Hello…”

I should have known that Scarlet would have come too. Knowing Mariah, Scarlet was likely dragged here regardless of whether or not she felt like coming. 

Mariah giggles as she basically prances toward her gloomy companion and wraps her arm around her waist, leaning heavily on the death witch. “Can babe and I come in, or are you going to leave us lovely ladies out in the cold?”

“No, no, of course not. Come in,” I welcome, blushing as I step aside and gesture for them to enter. Mariah leads Scarlet in with a laugh and looks around as she shakes off the snow clinging to her dress. 

“Wow, you haven’t changed even a picture in here. Don’t you ever redecorate?” she complains, waving her hand around nonchalantly. 

Scarlet shakes out the blue tunic over her shoulders, snow falling onto the carpet below. “I like it…” she mumbles, not daring to make eye contact with anyone.

“There’s no reason to,” I defend, shrugging as I catch a glimpse of Scarlet’s shudder. She’s still cold, I can tell. Unlike Mariah, she can’t warm herself on the flip of a switch. “Come. Skeet has a fire going. You can warm up there while I have him grab you something to drink.”

“About time. I thought I was going to have to ask you to offer some common courtesy AGAIN,” Mariah complains, rolling her eyes as she strides past me and to the nearby room where Skeet is standing in the doorway. “Sup, Skeets-man?”

The mouse’s ear twitches (likely out of annoyance) as he manages a polite smile and a bow. “I am quite well. It is a pleasure to see you again, and so lively as always, may I mention,” he says with the slightest hint of distaste. He was never a fan of Mariah’s theatrics or passionate nature. “What may I serve you with on this fine afternoon?”

Mariah gasps with delight, and her hands slap together as if she were praying. “OH!! You must simply make those little Honey Bee Crumb Cakes like you used to! They were absolutely the cutest things EVER!” Her high-pitched squeal at the end is enough to make everyone in the nearest twenty miles wince. 

“O-of course, madame. It would be my pleasure,” he manages with gritted teeth and a bow. As he stands and turns to leave, he notices Scarlet, and his mood lifts almost immediately. Approaching her, he takes her hand in his own and bestows a gentle kiss on her knuckles. “I must say, your presence is brighter than any fire I have ever known. It warms my heart to see you again, your grace.”

Scarlet blushes as she watches Skeet and then turns her gaze to her boots. “Th-Thank...you…I have missed you too..Skeet…”

Mariah grins from ear-to-ear, and she crosses her arms as she leans on the nearby doorway. “Now, now, mousey, there’s no stealing my sweet-ums if I can help it~”

Skeet’s smile fades nearly as quickly as a lit candle in a windstorm. “I am WELL aware, Miss Fireforge. However, I at least have the decency to show respect and nobility in the presence of others unlike some. Now, if you would excuse me…”

The mouse kisses Scarlet’s hand one last time before stalking off in the direction of the kitchen. 

Mariah giggles, watching him leave before prancing into the warmth of the living room and throwing herself to sprawl on the royal red sofa. “Ah~ That mouse needs to learn to loosen up a little. Maybe the reason he’s missing one antler is the fact that he lost it up his-”

“I like him…” Scarlet scuffles slowly to the sofa and looks down at Mariah with the same frown she always wears.

Rolling her eyes, the fire wizard sits up and pats the seat next to her in an invitation which the death wizard doesn’t hesitate in taking. As the redhead puts an arm around the other’s shoulders, she turns to me with a smirk. “So what WERE you doing before we got here, other than sulking?”

I sit in my normal chair after setting the Sword of Kings in its rightful place on the wall, resting one foot upon my knee casually and taking another sip of my drink. “Answering my usual fan mail, like usual.”

“Pfft, that reminds me why we let you take all the credit for saving the universe and all that,” she says, waving it off with a playful smile which I can’t help but laugh at. 

“And you had what right to that title? Last time I checked, you spent most of our time in Khrysalis sick because you decided to drink that spoiled camel milk like that merchant told you not to.”

Mariah’s smile falls into a deep pout as she looks away before speaking. “Well...I mean...If I hadn’t been sick, then I wouldn’t have had this cutie to nurse me back to health, would I have?” She turns to Scarlet, kissing her on the cheek sweetly and rubbing her arm. 

The death wizard merely blushes more and dips her head so that her bangs fall over her eyes. “I don’t understand why you didn’t have Lily do it…”

The name makes the room fall into silence, and I look away toward the fire again. 

Lily…

The explosion...the scream...the blood...It’s like a sick replay in my head and-

“-ian! VALERIAN!” The sound of my name on Mariah’s lips jolts me from my thoughts, and I snap my attention back to the couple on the couch. 

“I...I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I’d zoned out…” I apologize, and by the concerned look on both of the witches’ face, I know it was longer than I thought it was. 

Scarlet’s gloomy face softens considerably, and she tilts her head in a clearly sickening sign of pity. “I know it hurts...We all hurt. If there is something I could do to change back time, I doubt any of us would hesitate, but there isn’t, and you need to accept that.”

Normally I would have been angry at something like that, but I could never be angry at Scarlet. I doubt any level-headed person would. There’s something about her that is like a pacifier to emotions, and I presume that’s the reason why she’s such the perfect match for someone as exuberant as Mariah. All I can do is stare at my foot and let out a long sigh. 

“I know...I have. However, you don’t get over something like that easily...and I doubt I ever will...Love doesn’t ever leave…” I manage, and it is at that moment that I hear the clinking of the tray Skeet is carrying. 

The sweet smell of honey permeates through the air, and it’s enough to distract all of us from the dismal topic we have been on. My stomach rumbles, sharing my opinion as I see the small slices of yellow cake on individual platters. 

“Here we are. For you, Miss Skullsplitter,” he begins, naturally handing the death witch her piece first, followed by myself, and then (begrudgingly) Mariah. 

The fire witch lets out a muted squeal of joy as she takes the plate, her eyes wide as she stares at it with her mouth wide open and drool visibly gathering at the corner of her mouth. Lifting her fork, she begins to cut into the slice when Skeet clears his throat. 

“Excuse me. Where are your manners?” He casts Mariah a look, and she blinks before she realizes her blunder. A blush that rivals her hair in color spreads from ear to ear, and she quickly dips her head in unison with her partner’s. 

Skeet and I follow suit, and although I’ve never shared the mouse’s ideals, I’ve always respected them. 

“Mother Moon, we are grateful for everything you have bestowed upon us. The tides that sweep upon the land and nourish the soil and thus bring life to the food we are about to enjoy are testaments to your greatness. From the sea, to the soil, and to our bodies, we thank you. May you continue to bless us.”

I’ve never understood why Skeet has always felt the need to bless everyone’s food (regardless of whether or not he was partaking in its consumption), but I’ve never been brave enough to challenge it. 

As soon as Skeet was finished, I looked up to Mariah almost pounce on her cake like a lioness on a zebra, quickly taking a bite and moaning as she tasted it. 

“Oh my Spells, it’s like an org-oof!” 

Turning a bright red, Scarlet didn’t hesitate to elbow her partner in the ribs, shooting the other an embarrassed death glare. 

I couldn’t help the laughter that fell from my lips, my lungs nearly bursting as I had to set the plate aside to keep from it slipping onto the floor. Skeet only rolled his eyes as Mariah soon followed suit, the two of us clutching our stomachs as we hunched over in our mirth. Scarlet soon joined with her unsure little giggle of a laugh, holding the tips of her fingers against her lips in an effort to stifle herself. 

CRASH! BAM! BANG! 

“HOLD STILL WOULD YOU?!”

Our laughter is cut short by some sort of commotion from upstairs….Wait...upstairs…

Eloise and that stupid little hateful fox….

“What was that, darling?” Mariah frowns as she turns her head toward the entrance to the main hall, her brows narrowed in thought. “Did you ask someone to try and give Fluffy a bath again?”

“No...that’s just an unwelcome visitor…” I mutter under my breath as I rise from my chair and start toward the stairs. “Just stay here. I’ll handle it.”

“You know, this is exactly like those horror plays where that one person says that they’ll handle a noise in the basement and they never come back…” she surmises, pressing a finger to her cheek in thought. 

I can’t help but roll my eyes, and I look toward Scarlet who is still curiously listening to the ruckus upstairs. “Don’t let her harass Skeet too much.”

“Are you sure that I shouldn’t accompany you sir?” the Burrower asks, tilting his head as concern becomes evident on his stern countenance. 

Nodding, I grab my sword once again with a deep sigh. 

“I’ve got this.”


	7. Scared

_***Calamity’s POV*** _

I didn’t necessarily think it would come to this. Sure, the thought that she might be a witch crossed my mind, but never in a million years did I think this sort of craft was possible.

Originally, I thought the idea of dashing through the door before the old woman could react was a good one, but the old lady has faster reflexes than I could have ever imagined. 

And never, in my entire life, have I been humiliated in this fashion (pardon the pun)...

This woman...is the devil…

“That should do it, dearie. We’re almost done. Just hold still and-”

Hold still?

HOLD STILL?!   
This crazy lady has literally restrained me with MEASURING TAPE. Wrapped around my wrists, muzzle, and ankles, I’m literally stretched in the middle of the room, hanging above the ground by a seamstress’s common, everyday tool like I’m a helpless mannequin. In fact, I would probably rather be a mannequin right now. 

Naked and stretched on display like some sick offering to a wraith, waiting for me to be sacrificed to purify the blood of sinners, I thought it couldn’t get any worse…

Until HE barged in. 

I presume he must have heard the commotion from the struggle between me and the enchanted measuring tape, because he charges in the room with a sword bared and ready to strike only to halt dead in his tracks with the most shocked and equally horrified expression I have ever seen on any wizard’s face. Likely, I would have been too in his position. 

Frankly, I wish that we could trade places...but who wouldn’t in my situation?

“Oh? Hello there, Val. I’m sorry if I disturbed you. She was a little more rambunctious than I was initially prepared for,” Elois excuses as she stands with her back toward the door and bent over an actual mannequin. A sewing needle is floating near her head as her body seems to shield the fabric she’s sculpting like a true artisan. 

The storm wizard blinks stupidly for a second, his chest still heaving from the run up what I believe to be stairs beyond the door. His blade is resting against the wooden floor, and as I run up the shining silver edge to the dragon-wrapped hilt, I instantly know this well-crafted instrument of death. It’s the Sword of Kings, the legendary sword of Avalon...and it doesn’t belong in the paws of this murderer. 

With a growl in the depths of my throat, my fur stands on end and my eyes narrow into deadly slits. I lean forward the best I can, testing the strength of my restraints, but I already know the answer...No matter what I do, my opening to kill this monster isn’t now. 

Valerian’s deep purple gaze rests on me when he snaps from his stupor, and it is with a rising anger that I realize what he was staring at. THAT PERVERT! 

AND I THOUGHT REYNARD WAS BAD! WHEN I BREAK OUT OF HERE I’M GOING TO-!

“She’s unfortunately more spirited than I would have liked…” mutters Valerian, turning his head away from me to watch Elois work. What was that supposed to mean?!

The seamstress only chuckles, shaking her head as she pulls her hand above her head in order to pull a thread tighter. “And why is that? It’s healthy to have a little excitement in one’s life, Valerian. Bartelby knows you need some.”

With a huff, he crosses his arms, white bangs falling over his brows. “Excitement? She’s been trying to kill me for the last moon and a half...How is that healthy?”

“I think that you’re going about this entirely the wrong way, young wizard,” she muses, humming to herself now as she takes a step back and continues before Valerian can open his mouth to counter her argument. “I believe that should do it. Now out with you. You’re a grown gentleman who was taught a set of manners, show them and give this lady some respect. Out, out, out!”

Blushing, he huffs as he glances at me one more time before reluctantly stepping out the door with the Sword of Kings in hand. 

One day that blade will finally do its justice and find its way deep in his gut…

Suddenly, the measuring tape begins to loosen, and I find myself falling face-first onto the ground, nose smashing on the wooden surface below. 

“Oops! Sorry about that m’dear. I meant to do that a bit gentler and let you down. But I suppose that will deter you for some time before you try charging blindly at that door again. Now, let me help you up, dear.” 

I can hear her boots tapping on the floor, each tap getting closer than the last and sending another chill up my spine. A wizard is going to touch me...again. There is no telling what she’d do to me, what magic she’d curse me with. 

I won’t have it. 

As she nears me and the boots stop, I quickly roll away to the side before jumping to my feet with back arched, ears flattened, and teeth bared. “Don’t touch me, witch-scum.”

She regards me with a blink for a second, as if somewhat surprised of my reaction, but the moment quickly fades as a sickeningly sweet smile graces her lips. “Now, now, you can complain later after you’ve tried on your clothes. It won’t do you any good trying to kill someone in the nude. Come on, let’s get you dressed,” she chimes, turning from me as she grabs the garments she’s been laboring on and presents me with the bundle. 

A leather vest padded on the inside and on the outside shoulders with thick wool and then decorated with red pinstripes that dance down the fabric to give it a spark of life to an otherwise bland design. Beneath is a pair of black leggings and a black belt with a golden buckle. 

“There’s a pair of boots beside you as well, and I do believe that those be the right size for you, hun. Go on ahead now; don’t be shy.”

This woman, despite my attitude toward her, has stubbornly made me clothes and hardly batted an eye at me whatsoever. I don’t know what her deal is, but I’m too enthralled with the idea of finally having clothes to worry about her or the fact that my clothes were made by a wizard. 

The actual feeling of fabric over my fur is nigh relieving to say the very least--a luxurious comfort I have not taken any pleasure of in the longest time. 

“Ah, it feels good to be wearing something again, doesn’t it? And that vest should be mighty comfortable and warm. The wool is made from Ice Weavers, should keep you cold even out there in those winter storms so far north.”

And it was...so very warm...almost like wrapping my torso in a warm blanket. I nod hesitantly, tugging on the hem and marveling at the way she’s managed to make these clothes so fitted to me and so perfect in such a short amount of time. Despite my distaste for wizards, she has managed to earn respect in my book. Then again, I highly doubt that this wizard has ever killed anyone with a sewing needle and measuring tape. 

She snaps, all of her equipment coming together and magically sorting themselves in her rather large briefcase. As the leather bag snaps shut with a resounding click, wrapping up any evidence of her being here (other than my new-found outfit), she starts to circle me with an appreciative nod. “Yes, I believe that does suit you rather nicely. But that’s just little old me talking, hehe. The question is, do you like it?”

I pause for a second, taking in her confident smile and kind eyes with an astonished countenance of my own. It’s obvious that she knows the answer, but it’s hard to not give her an answer in the light of her service to me, no matter what Valerian might have paid her. Reluctantly, I manage a nod and dip my head. “It is very appreciated, Miss Merryweather.”

“Oh! You do have manners! I knew there was some Avalonian-courtesy in you, even if it is deep down,” she teases, and my ear flicks irritably at her jest. Nevertheless, even if she did notice my annoyance, she still would have acted with her signature nonchalance. “Now, have fun stirring up trouble, dearie. I’ll be working on a few new things for you to try on for a while, and I’m sure I’ll be back to see you soon again. Try not to get yourself killed; you really are a lovely model.”

“Thank you again,” I mutter, doing my best to ignore her taunts as I give a small bow and watch her pick up the suitcase and start toward the door. I watch with an intense gaze as she opens the door, and it’s obvious that she notices my stare from the smile growing on her face. However, she does nothing to deter me as she steps out and closes the door without doing a thing to put me back in restraints or lock the door or anything that would have kept me from going downstairs. It was as if she were encouraging me to travel outside this room...In fact, it was more like baiting than anything. 

But what reason would she have to encourage me to leave this room? 

Did she feel sorry for me and wanted to give me a chance to escape on my own? Or was she affected by the sinister nature hidden inside all wizards? 

Was there an escape or a trap waiting for me? 

There was only one way to find out. Tentatively, I reached for the door handle, pulling the only obstacle between me and the outside open. In front of me, a long, winding stone staircase presented itself to me, leading down into an abyss of unknown. 

I could feel a cold draft coming from the staircase, and it ruffled my fur and sent a chill across my face and to my neck where it met the collar of my new winter-proof vest. Closing my eyes, I let out a deep breath as I willed myself to take a step forward onto the steps and closed the door behind me. 

Tiptoeing down the never-ending flight of stairs, I found myself plotting what I would do. Would I kill Valerian on sight, or would I find an escape so that I may come back and try again when I was more prepared. 

Then again, if I left, that would also leave Valerian time to prepare. If I had a chance now to kill him, why not take it? If I remember correctly, there was a--

“We couldn’t thank you enough for your services, Mrs. Merryweather. It was truly a pleasure to to have you here. Take this as a symbol of the master’s gratitude for your troubles.”

A man’s voice cut off my train of thought...a deep voice with an oddly squeaky undertone that most undoubtedly made a strange combination. I could see shadows on the coming wall, and I paused in my steps as my ears perked to listen in on their conversation.    
“Oh, it’s no trouble at all. Keep your money, dearie. You know I love making outfits for the master. This definitely brought a little spice in my life that I’ve been lacking for a while. You know, she’s a real wildfire, that one. A real keeper, she is, I think.”

“There will be no keeping, Mrs. Merryweather. We don’t necessarily tolerate murderers here.”

HAH! He’d talk, working for someone as disgusting and cruel as that wizard, Valerian Legendmancer. 

I can hear Eloise’s muffled laughter. “Oh, I don’t think she’s a murderer, dearest Skeet. Far from it.”

This ‘Mr. Skeet’ snorts at her statement, and I can almost hear the eyeroll in his tone. “And what makes you say that?”

“The eyes, Mr. Skeet. Eyes never lie, and in my travels, I have seen many. She has the eyes of a scared girl with nowhere to run and no healthy way to deal with the anger inside. In time, I believe she’ll turn around. If you never let a bird from its cage, you’ll never know if it can fly. Good day, Mr. Skeet.”

I can Mr. Skeet bidding her farewell and the tapping of Eloise’s boots getting further and further away before there was a loud slamming of a heavy door and then...she was gone. For several moments, there was silence, and it took a moment for me to process what she had said. Scared girl? As if! A knight isn’t scared of anything, in fa-

I could hear the pitter-patter of tiny feet heading in my direction, and a feeling of dread began to settle in my stomach. What if that was Mr. Skeet? What would happen next? I’m defenseless. I don’t have any weapons…

I didn’t even notice that I’d stopped breathing as I pressed my back as hard as it could be against the wall. My claws dug into the stone behind me, and I could literally hear my heart pounding my ears. What was I going to do? What was I going to do?

I’d tackle him! I’d sink my teeth into his neck and...and…

“Ssssskkkkk…?”

I blinked as I turned my head toward where the sound was coming from and saw absolutely nothing. What was-

“AAHHH!” I yelped as I felt something grab my leg, and consequently, I ended up jumping up nearly two steps where I landed on my backside in a defense position. What could have possibly touched...oh…

I hadn’t accounted that it might be lunchtime yet, and the sight of the pet kraken standing below me with a small tray of steaming strips of some mystery meat was a reminder that stirred my stomach away from nervous nausea into hunger. 

“O-oh...I...It’s you...Hello there…” I whispered, the Kraken blinking at me confusedly as if it were still trying to comprehend my reaction. “You startled me…”

I stood slowly, and looked at the pet for a moment before trying to step around it. It stepped in my way. So, I stepped in the other direction...only to have it blocking my path again. 

“Move it, pipsqueak,” I missed, gritting my teeth as I tried to force myself past it, but it only touched my leg to let loose a bundle of electricity, sending a shockwave of pain all the way up my body to the tips of my ears. “****!!!”

Collapsing backward, I could make out the Kraken still staring at me as if it were expecting me to go back to the room, but I wasn’t going to back down to a tiny little storm pet! With a huff, I stood again and raised my hand as if about to force my way through again when an idea suddenly found its way into my thought process. 

“Um...say...can you find Valerian..? Can you find your master?” I asked, trying to manage a smile that likely was more akin to an awkward grin. Stooping down to its level, I rested my hands on my knees as it tilted its head and blinked with a blank expression. “Master?”

“Kkkkrrrr….” It nodded slowly, turning and slowly making its way down the stairs in the correct direction. 

Honestly, I didn’t think that that would work in the slightest. Deep down, I almost felt bad for the little guy...He was being so easily manipulated into leading his master’s killer to his master. Then again, it would likely be a world of newfound freedom without his master treating him like a slave. 

As we made our way through the several corridors of the castle, we followed a long stretch of red rugs until the thick waft of smoke met my nose, invading it with its pungent aroma and bringing out the sick swirling of my innards. Laughter filled my ears, and I could make out the flickering of light coming out from the room in front of me. I paused near the corridor, peaking around the corner into the room where I could make out Valerian sitting on a padded chair and casually sipping a glass of viscous, yellow liquid. The Sword of Kings sat on the wall nearby, glinting in the light from the fireplace. It was calling to me...Beckoning me…

“Master, would you care for another glass?” It was that same voice again. I followed it to a figure coming out from an unseen section of the large room, and I could make out what appeared to be the form of a Burrower...at least, I think it was supposed to be one for he sported a single horn in place of the typical two and was clad in a chocolate brown suit that stood in sharp contrast to his greying fur. 

Valerian raised a hand, shaking his head. “No, I’m fine, Skeet. Thank you.”

Skeet bowed, closing his eyes as he did so before turning to look to another corner of the room. “Would you care for some, Miss Skullsplitter?” There was no audible answer, but it gave me information that there was at least one other person in the room. “No? All right. Should you need anything, do not hesitate to ask, mon cher. I will now excuse myself for the time being.” 

The Burrower dipper his head and disappeared out what I assume was a separate entrance. Now...if I can only get my hands on something to...There! A bow display nearby. I only need an arrow...just something to stab him with…

I take an arrow from the quiver and turn toward the room again with narrowed eyes. The ground seems to be trembling beneath my feet...but I know that it’s just my own nervous shaking. Is what Elois was saying true? Am I actually just scared? Scared of what? This is my destiny! It’s simple! I just have to kill Valerian Legendmancer, and everything will be okay! Life will go back the way it was...and….and...I can become a knight once and for all, just like brother wanted and…

A lump began to tighten in my throat as my stance turned rigid and tense...No...I have to stay loose. A loose stance provides more fluidity and faster reflexes. A good fighter is never tense…

My grip tightens on the arrow, and I close my eyes as I breathe in and out. This is it...Today will be the day that my nightmares will end. Today I will avenge my brother and every other innocent life this wizard has taken--for our honor. 

Today...Valerian Legendmancer is going to die, or I will die trying. 


	8. With or Without Honor?

***Valerian’s POV***

It all...happened in a blur… 

One moment, I was talking to Skeet, and as soon as I turned my attention to Scarlet, I saw a flurry of movement to my left...and the eyes that met mine sent maddening trembles down my back and where they gathered in a bundle of nerves that seemed to make my whole body rigid with fear. 

I hadn’t felt this sort of fear in a long time, but seeing HER running toward me with nothing but anger in those green eyes was enough. The sight of an arrow held tightly in her hand completed the picture and gave meaning to the fury written across her face. Nevertheless, even as I saw the teeth bared and the intention in her actions, I could see that glimmer of hesitance I have noticed since day one--a hesitance that gives her hope. 

A light switched turn on at the last second, and I moved to dodge her attack, but it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that my delay had cost me an escape. There was nothing I could do. 

As the glint of metal on the tip of the arrowhead caught my eye, I held my breath as I continued to move forward to the table where my spare wand was sitting. 

“VALERIAN!” Scarlet let out a dreadful scream, and I didn’t bother to look up at her likely terrified expression.

In that fraction of a second, my mind began to picture that dreadful arrow pierce in my throat, red flashing across my gaze as I lay on the ground and twitch pathetically.  I could imagine my attacker standing over me with eyes wide in shock over her success and Scarlet letting out a scream of fury as she tried to decide between getting revenge or saving me. 

However, it was not to be. 

[I]SMASH!

Hand wrapping around my wand, I looked up to find not the figure of my attacker looming over me, posed to deliver her final strike, but an all too familiar and welcome one. 

Clad in a white robe lined with two sets of faded, dark-gold buttons and gold trim whilst sporting a black wide-brimmed fedora with a blue feather that seemed to bring out the wearer’s equally light blue, short hair, I took in the sight of the infamous Angel Dunerunner…

I’ve never quite understood how Angel has always been able to suddenly show up at the most ridiculous of times, but I’ve stopped questioning how the warlord has apparently managed to spontaneously teleport at the drop of a feather for quite some time now. Better to save my questions until after we’re out of mortal danger anyhow.

Now, I’m kneeling on the ground with my wand in one hand and my other gripping the table. Eyes wide, I look straight ahead to the growling fox lying on her front on the red carpet, holding her stomach with both frustration and pain written clear as day across her countenance. Angel is standing above her, black boots just inches from her muzzle and a machete clutched in his left palm. 

The balance wizard glances over his shoulder at me with the same, stoic expression on his face as ever, raising a hand absentmindedly to pull at his signature red scarf as he speaks as if the scarf is wrapped so tightly around his throat that it prevents him from talking. “How do you fare, Valerian?”

...He’s never been talented at socialization, but I’m not about to demean the wizard who is equal to Scarlet in strength and just literally saved my life. 

I swallow, blinking as I slowly rise to my feet. “I’m fine...Thank you…” 

The fox at our feet grits her teeth, and tries with every visible amount of strength in her body to get up, only managing to lift her torso slightly from the ground. Hate seems to roll off of her in thick, veritable clouds: the kind that makes me nauseous to the core. “I...will...kill you…”

Those words sink in like a stain on carpet, and I swallow as I cast a glance at Scarlet who has already summoned her self-sized scythe, clutching the long, black handle tightly as her golden eyes are trained solely on the fox. 

Angel snickers, walking around the gasping Avalonian slightly with cold, calculating eyes before raising his boot and striking a visibly painful blow to her side that even causes me to wince. She yelps as she’s forcefully turned to lay on her back from the blow, the arrow dropped in favor of clutching her abdomen. Her entire form is shaking, and a lump of pity begins to grow in my throat as I watch the balance wizard circle her like a vulture around carrion. 

“You can try, but you’ll have to do it from the grave…” he murmurs, a brow irritably twitching as I notice the grip on his machete tightening. I haven’t seen such a cruel glare on Dune’s face since that fateful day oh so long ago…and it’s like something out of a nightmare…

Nevertheless, the determined fox doesn’t show an ounce of fear on her face, though I’m sure that somewhere deep down, her soul has been thrown into great turmoil. “Whatever it takes...Do your worst, wizard-scum…”

I catch sight of Scarlet in the corner of my eye, and the astounded expression on her face is stuck to her face like fresh snow upon the ground. With parted lips, she blinks and gazes from the Avalonian to me and then to Angel as if she doesn’t know what to do; and to be totally honest, I’m not quite sure either. However, the moment Angel’s jaw tightens and he points the blade at the body lying helpless on the ground, I catch the brief flash of terror in the Avalonian’s eyes. 

[I]Green eyes...that meet mine in terror…

[I]Green eyes...that meet mine understanding that this was the end…

[I]Green eyes...clouded in a cloud of black smoke and the greedy tendrils of flame…

“Angel.”

My mouth seems to move of its own accord, lips pulled by ghost-like strings. All the attention in the room is turned toward me, and I dare to challenge Angel’s bland gaze as I step toward him and put a hand over the balance insignia on his shoulderpad. 

“That’s enough.”

His brow and the corner of his mouth twitch briefly in unison, but he says nothing as he compliantly (yet hesitantly) takes a step back away from the glaring Avalonian below. 

As I turn my attention to the anthropoid, I notice the mix between confusion and lingering hate thrown my way, but it doesn’t deter me in the slightest as I stretch my hand out toward her, ignoring my instincts to avoid the threat in front of me. However, something compels me otherwise. 

“I apologize for my friend here. He gets a bit carried away someti-un!” 

[I]Gravity is a bitch.

The Avalonian is kind enough to remind me of that. 

In a single sweeping motion, she catches me off guard as she manages to kick my feet out from under me and send me tumbling down onto my back. It only takes a fraction of a second before she’s on top of me, having stolen my wand from my hands and now pressing the blade firmly against my throat. I’m awestruck, eyes wide as our gazes meet again, but even as I feel the steel begin to dig deeper against my skin, she doesn’t press any further. 

Scarlet is on us in an instant, swinging her scythe far above her head and catching a glint from the fire that gains my attention as Angel takes a step forward with machete at the ready. The death wizard’s face is contorted in an odd mixture of anger and focus, and as she prepares to swing the magnificent blade cleave the Avalonian’s intentions literally in half, I shoot my hand upwards, warning them not to get any closer as I stare intently at the fox above me. She--the fox--is struggling; I can tell by the tremble in her hands and the waver in her stare. All this time, I’ve known that there was something holding her back. There have been far too many opportunities to kill me by this point anyhow. 

Suppressing a wince (more from the knee in my stomach currently than the sword against my throat), I gently place a hand over my attacker’s, doing my best not to startle her. “Do you REALLY want to kill me?”

Her ears flatten, and she lifts her lips in order to bare her teeth with a guttural growl. “Y-yes!” Grip tightening on the sword, I can feel the beads of blood gathering where the blade is slowly piercing my flesh. 

I do my best not to jump at the slight pain caused by the pressure, and as I start to press her hand and the handle away from me, I manage a rasp sentence. “I don’t think you mean that.”

“The likelihood of persuasion is below 12%, Valerian. Allow me to kill her before she poses a real threat,” Angel states in an irritatingly dry tone, and I shot him an equally stern glare back. He only rolls his eyes in response, lowering his machete to his side as he likely decides to put a little rare faith in me.

However, my glare is short lived as I feel the Avalonian press against me and harder than ever against my neck. Eyes wide, I do my best not to move as my body stiffens in an effort to not find itself any closer to the sword. 

“I will kill you and avenge my brother, wizard scum. I don’t care whether I live or die so long as you end up in the Hell you belong,” she hisses, an ear flicking as it becomes harder for me to breath from the force on my throat. 

“Valerian!” Scarlet interjects, taking a step forward. 

“N..oo….Scar...let….wait…” I manage, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes from the lack of oxygen. Blood is now starting to trickle down the side of my neck, and the instinctual panic was beginning to kick in. Toes curling in my shoes and peripheral vision blurring, I know I have to do something quickly. “Then...stop...and….kill me...like….a re...al kni...ght...with...hon...or…”

Something inside the fox snaps as she blinks in surprise, the pressure on my throat easing before she shakes her head quickly and resumes. “What the hell do you mean?”

I’m not sure what came of me to say what I did, but as the words fell from my lips, not even the gargantuan blade of Scarlet’s scythe could have cut the tension. Despite the loud crackling of the dying fire or the growling of the fox on top of me, there was no denying the two hoarse words that fell from my lips and left nothing but silence in its wake. 

[I]“Fight...me…”


	9. The Duel

How did I ever agree to this?

He was there...right there...And I was so close...oh, so close. 

I’m not sure whether it was the ghost of my brother in my ear telling me differently or simply my conscious deep down that persuaded me otherwise, but I had found myself giving up the best opportunity I’ve had thus far in the name of honor. 

Honestly, the stupidity of it all... 

I huff as I stand on my side of the arena, checking over my arm and wrist guards with a stern expression. Sword sheathed on my hip and leather guards on both my arms and legs, I am clad in the bare minimum of what a knight should in combat. Then again, it isn’t really necessary on my end. 

What I can’t understand is the lack of armor on my opponent who is standing amongst his three wizard friends and that Burrower slave nearly twenty tail lengths away. 

Satisfied with the state of my gear, I rest my hand on the hilt of my blade and run my thumb across the fine carving of a dragon head and down the golden body, feeling the exquisite design in its entirety like a blind child feeling its mother’s face for the first time. A sense of pride tingles from my fingertips to my heart, and a brief smile twitched at the corner of my mouth. However, it is short-lived as I think of the agreement I have made…

“You’re being stupid, Valerian,” I can hear someone complaining, my acute sense of hearing picking up on the voice across the arena. Craning my head, I can make out the form of a scantily clad woman in red, her hands on her hips as she scowls at Valerian. 

The wizard that had stopped me from killing my target earlier holds an annoyingly boring frown on his face, his arms crossed and machete hanging from his golden belt. “You are at a disadvantage by 37%. It is a steep percentage to gamble with one’s life. I would advise against this.”

“Thank you for the information, Dune!” snapped Valerian, and I can make out his irritance from here. I don’t necessarily blame him, as the statistical wizard has already gotten on my nerves on more than one occasion. 

A death wizard, by the looks of it, approaches Valerian meekly and says something that I can’t quite make out. Valerian pauses for a moment before nodding and embracing the smaller wizard tenderly. Curiosity begins to form, and I wonder whether or not they are mates. They have similar appearances, so it is difficult to tell whether or not they are related or it’s simply coincidence that they share like features. 

Something deep inside my soul begins to stir at the possibility of them beings mates--one I have never quite felt before. However, I quickly shake it out of my mind. The battlefield is no place for self-discovery and meager trains of thought.

I shake my head, sniffing in annoyance as I cross my arms over my bosom. This storm wizard is taking an awful amount of sweet time. 

“We don’t have all day, wizard,” I growl, an ear twitching as I traverse the dirt arena to the center. My tail swishes freely behind me, and I never once lose my grip on the sword latched unto my belt. I suppose I make a confident picture, although there is a deep feeling in my guilt that this in itself was a bad idea. 

Valerian casts a glance over his shoulder at me, and he closes his eyes with a defeated sigh. Turning on his heel, he begins to approach me with hands lax at his sides. “In a hurry to get this over with, I presume?” he asks, and I notice his Burrower approach from my right side as well. 

I don’t bother to answer the wizard’s question, flicking a reproachful glance toward the mouse knight. “What is the slave doing here?”

“Slave?! Why, I have a name, you savage!” the Burrower hisses, his tail lashing behind him. “Sir, please teach this brute a lesson before I do.”

“Restraint, Skeet. It’ll be over soon enough,” he reminds the infamous Skeet, whom I assume was the same Skeet who had spoken to Miss Merryweather earlier. The storm wizard raises his attention to me, motioning to Skeet with a gesture of his hand. “This is my trusted butler, Skeet. He will be our referee for this match and ensure that there is no foul play.”

Foul play? The only foul play that could be done would be solely on Valerian’s side. If he must need a referee to keep himself in check, then perhaps this was a bad idea, and I have no qualms about sharing it freely.

“Must we need a referee to keep you in check, wizard? Or will you forget the terms of our agreement?” I mutter bitterly, eyes narrowing suspiciously. 

Valerian holds up his hands in defense, bowing his head. “I remember them clearly. However, I wanted no question on the fairness of this match; especially when it comes to the end of the duel.”

“Hmph...Fair enough.”

Skeet steps forward, eyeing me cautiously as he speaks. “There will be no magic in this duel. May this be a fight with swords, claws, teeth, and anything else currently and physically inside of this arena. Intervention will be punishable immediately by the execution of Valerian Legendmancer. Should Valerian Legendmancer lose, the victor shall take the honor of executing him. Should he win, likewise, the fox will have to submit for the time period of one week without any attempt to claim the life of Valerian Legendmancer. These are the rules. Are there any questions or comments about what I have stated?”

“Calamity,” I mutter, glaring at the Burrower. “My name is Calamity, slave.”

The Burrower only casts a disdained scowl in my direction, and a certain bitterness drips from his tongue with every syllable he speaks. “I don’t care what your name is, savage. May the Master have mercy on your soul, ‘Calamity’.”

His sharp wit is in turn reciprocated by the annoyance that seems to have grown within me. After this duel, I would take great pleasure in hanging him by his own tail from the highest tower I can find. 

Valerian only sighs as he motions for Skeet to leave with the waving of his hand. “Thank you, Skeet.”

Skeet exhales sharply, looking between the both of us for a moment before marching off to where the other wizards are standing. They’re all standing with their weapons at their side, and it’s enough to make me question whether or not Valerian will uphold his part of the deal. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t, wizard scum. 

I shake my head. Now isn’t the time for me to be focused on that. As long as I can kill him, there shouldn’t be a problem. There’s plenty of escape routes. I’ve already calculated a way out. I just need to focus on this match. 

Placing my hand on the hilt of my blade, I take a shallow bow toward the wizard before me. He, in turn, does the same. “May the best knight win, wizard.”

“You know, I’d appreciate it if you would treat me with the same courtesy you asked for, Calamity,” he mutters, and as I stand straight again, I can make out a hint of a smirk on his pale features. “Valerian Legendmancer, Knight of the Silver Rose, Savior of the Spiral, Honorary and Graduated Student of Ravenwood School of Wizardry, and voted Number One Sexiest Wizard Bachelorette in the Spiral, if you please. But, I don’t mind if you use Valerian for short.”

[I]Great. 

[I]He has a “sense of humor”...

With a snicker, I roll my eyes and unsheathe my sword, the sharp sound of the metal sliding from its prison like music to my ears. Pointing the blade toward the wizard with flattened ears, I growl, “Then I’ll etch your full name into your rotting flesh when I’m done with you.”

His smirk only twitches at the corners as he reveals his own less exquisite blade. “I’d like to see you try.”

“ABOUTFACE!” cried our ‘referee’, and we simultaneously turn our backs to one another. “EN GARDE!”

My heart is starting to pound in my chest as we both take ten steps forward, our blades raised high in front of us and shining in the midday sun. This is it. It is about to begin--either my downfall or my retribution. As I take my position and turn on my heel to face my opponent, electricity seems to power through my body and out the tips of my fingers and ears. Every nerve is humming with timid delight. 

“Ready? ALLEZ!”

Even with the cry that began our match, neither of us take a step toward one another. Our eyes are locked, and we stand in silence as the wind sweeps past us and stirs the dirt at our feet. Perhaps, not even the Sword of Kings can slice the tension in the still space between us. I can hear my heart pounding in my ears, and my fingers tighten their already iron grip on the hilt of my sword. 

I’m not even aware of my legs starting to move, but I can feel the adrenaline starting to pump faster through my blood--faster, and faster, and faster, and faster, until-

CLANG!   
Our blades meet with a deafening clatter, and my muscles strain to fight the force between my much physically stronger opponent. We’re standing in the center, Valerian having countered my strike with an eerily similar ease. 

My heels dig into the soil, putting in my effort behind the force of my blade, but Valerian merely does the same in return. His once cocky smirk has disappeared into a dark, concentrated scowl, white hair mussed and casting a hooded shadow over his narrowed amethyst eyes. Dirt gathers at the corner of his boots from the force of his pressing down, and my breath hitches as I realize he is gaining the upper hand, our blades already starting to inch closer toward me. My feet are slipping, and it’s only a matter of time before he breaks through and lands a devastating strike on me. 

I sidestep, letting his blade slip and the rest of him stumble forward. Blade catching a glint of the sun beating down on us, I raise the Sword of Kings in an effort to try and garner the upper hand from his stumble, but he manages to parry single-handedly and then thrusts toward my torso. Inhaling and arching my back, I narrowly miss his lunge and instead spin and slash my sword horizontally to my right. It whistles through the air and narrowly manages to slice his pale cheek, blood beading from the miniscule cut. 

Valerian hisses as he steps back as he raises his free hand to wipe--more like smear--the blood from his face. Legs partially spread and chest already heaving, his eyes focus solely on me as I begin to circle the wizard like a ghulture, my tail swishing behind me slowly. I imagine I make an imitating picture. 

Without any ounce of hesitation, I rush at him again, and somehow he manages to parry each blow effortlessly. His movements are so fluid, each step like one of a skilled dancer. He’s not the pushover I would have imagined for a wizard. 

Both hands on the hilt, I swing my sword over my head toward him, and he narrowly dodges with dive to my left, rolling on the ground and springing up just as I rush him again. I jump, sideslashing at him this time, and he holds his sword up in an attempt to block again. The force behind me sends him falling back and me stumbling forward. Digging my toes into the ground, I manage to keep myself from falling.

Valerian is sprawled on his back now, looking at me in shock as I gather myself and heave my sword over me in order to swing the final blow. 

Terror glints in his eyes as he visibly swallows and scrambles for the sword that had clattered onto the ground beside him in his fall. My heart is in my throat, making it hard to breathe as I begin to tremble slightly in the moment. 

The reality that I’m about to kill someone is one that is now sinking into my brain, and what I hoped would be excitement for my first win is something much more akin to fear and indecisiveness. 

“Come on, Sexiest Bachelorette, you’re supposed to know how to use a sword-ow!”

[I]“MARIAH!”

I hear a cry from the audience nearby, and I can’t help but cast my gaze to the red-clad witch who’s been hit upside the head with the handle of a machete. 

It’s enough of a distraction for the wizard to make use of, and the air is knocked from my lungs from the force of a body tackling me. The ground greets me like an old frenemy, and I gasp as my eyes widen and the weight above me presses my diaphragm inward. My body jerks from the force of the impact and then lies still in shock as my mind tries to catch up with this chain of events. 

Valerian huffs as he presses his hand to the center of my chest in order to raise himself up and thus hold the hilt of his sword in line with his temple, the tip of the blade pointing toward my muzzle. My eyes crisscross as the blade presses against my nose, jaw slack. 

“You’re finished, Calamity. I win.”

NO! I WILL NOT LOSE TO THIS-THIS-THIS MURDERER!

Everything in me screams in protest, and as I did in the incident with the stupid cookies, I bucked my hips in an effort to knock him off-balance. However, he was prepared for it this time, instead using my move as a way to wrap his legs around me, ankles underneath my struggling form in order to both stabilize himself and further immobilize me. 

I roar of fury escapes my lips as I squirm beneath him, but I still the moment he presses the blade to my throat like I had done to him last night. His strong form leans over me, and grits his teeth in frustration, likely at my stubbornness. “You’re. Done.”

Eyes starting to burn with unwelcome emotion, I raise my hackles and flatten my ears in anger. “No....”

“Yes. It’s over. Admit it, Calamity.”

“I will never...stop trying...to kill you…” I manage, a heavy weight pressing on my chest, and I know it’s not the person sitting atop me. 

Valerian’s features relax as he sighs, closing his eyes and slowly raising himself off of me. He stands, towering over me and white hair nearly glowing from the light and sweat that is also dripping from his brow. Lashes slowly lifting, he sheathes his sword and then holds a hand in my direction. “You agreed to let me change your mind. Won’t you uphold your vow, as a knight?”

Part of me wants to take his hand, and as sit up slowly and my fingertips graze his, I pause. He didn’t win fairly. If it hadn’t been for his stupid friend, I would have ended him!!! I WOULD HAVE WON!

[I]It’s all HER fault!

I turn my head away from him and snap my hand back, expression hardening. There’s not much for me to say, but I figure that my silence will be enough of an answer for him. Closing my eyes, I can hear Valerian’s irritated sigh and the following sound of his boots crunching on the ground in the opposite direction. 

“WOO! GO, VAL~! GO, VAL~!” I hear that annoying redhead chant, and the anger inside me begins to build. 

“Yes, Congratulations. I thought that you had only a 54% chance of winning this duel, but it is apparent that she lacked in the determination required. Your match slightly entertained me. You did well, Valerian.”

“Yes, sir, good show.”

“I’m glad you’re okay…”

…

I will kill her for interfering with our match, and then I will kill him for cheating! ALL OF THEM WILL DIE!!!   
I leap to my feet without thinking, and I don’t even bother to grab my sword from the ground in my fit of fury. All I can feel is anger and resentment for their cheating--for opportunity lost. 

Rushing toward them, I let out a yowl of rage, claws unsheathed and teeth bared. The looks of surprise on their faces are lost on me as the first one I see is that red witch, and there’s no rationale left inside me. All cries fall on deaf ears, and as I lunge toward the scantily clad witch, I can make out the angry yet fearful expression on the tiniest wizard’s face just before I feel every rib in my body breaking inwardly. 

A massive force meets my body, and stops my torso in its tracks, my limbs outstretched in front of me as I’m literally hanging midair for a fraction of a second. Pain ripples throughout me, coursing through every fiber of my being. Blood trickles out the corner of my mouth as I feel my ribs tearing into my lungs from the force of the impact. 

The tiny, white-haired girl doesn’t stop there, completing her swing of the hefty, unproportionately large scythe and thus flinging me backwards into the arena. Flying through the air backward, the world flies by and even spins as I hit the ground and skip like a stone on water, flipping with every contact. I can feel my bones shattering and body bruising every time I strike the dirt until I’m left lying on my stomach. A pained groan pushing through the blood pooling in my mouth and out into the air. There’s no way to describe the agony I’m in now, burning inside me like a wild flame and destroying every bit of calm sanity I have left. My anger is nothing but an erupting volcano that has been dormant for so long that the boiling magma cannot breach through the cold, hardened top. I’m trapped by pain, trembling on the ground as tears prick at the corners of my eyes. 

Why? Why can’t I win? Why can’t I ever make him proud?

[I]Why?

A sorrowful wail comes through my lips and breaches the air, and I don’t care to look at those stupid, good-for-nothing wizards. The wail only adds to my pain, and it’s cut short by a coughing fit, splattering blood on the ground and inflating the pain in my chest. 

I’m a stupid, useless being; I’ll never be a knight. I’ll never avenge my brother; I’ll never find peace.

Red and black swarm my vision, and I choke on a bitter cry as I hear the soft pitter-patter of timid footsteps nearby. 

If only it were my brother coming to take me away...


	10. Chp 10--Part One: Wrong

The sound of thunder shook the halls of Darkmoor Manor, the building swaying atop its foundation from the raging winds that came with the sky’s dreadful roar. Pounding on the windows and effectively shutting the manor off from the world, the sky cried its precious tears unto the earth, knowing what would soon befall the fate of every wizard in the spiral. 

The dying candles of the sconces lined upon the walls shed dim light upon the nearly empty main hall of the stone manor, the inhabitants holed up in their own quarters and listening to the raging storm beating upon the walls and echoing through the empty air. However, a brave soul lingered among the great hall, nonchalantly resting upon a nearby sofa with his feet propped up on the arm and hands folded neatly across his chest. His cold, silver gaze watched the door that lead to the disaster outside at the top of the nearby stairs as if he were expecting someone to weather the storm so late at night. Dressed in Sidhe clothing, his crimson bangs brushed over his lax brow, casting an ominous shadow over his hooded gaze. Lips pulled into a stoic frown, he merely listened to the sound of the storm and the eerie ticking of a nearby cuckoo clock. 

[I]Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. 

An hour went by, the candles nearing the last stages of their life--some already having succumbed to a dark death. 

[I]Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

The man hadn’t moved, nailed to his spot like the cuckoo clock on the wall. Even his expression hadn’t changed, though as the flames died one by one, the shadows in the room only elongated, all pointed toward the cold man on the red sofa. His eyes are still trained to the door even now,  boring holes into the wooden surface with his intense gaze. 

[I]HE should be here by now.

As if by magic, the door swings open with the bitter wind, slamming against the nearby wall with a resounding BAM!

Shoes squish against the stone floor, and a tall shadow enters the manor from the harsh storm outside. Two distinct horns curve upward from the head, easily visible as they stand out from the rest of the human-like form. Rain pours in from the outside world, effectively forming a river from the door and down the stairs as the form growls and struggles to close the door against the intense wind. Shoes slide against the watery puddle as the shadow uses all its might to slam the door closed once more. 

The sound reverberates amongst the walls, but the man on the couch remains unaffected as he watches with the same, blank gaze. 

“You’re late, Valkoor.”

The white-haired wizard growls as he glares over his shoulder at the man. “An unexpected issue came up.” His spike-studded jacket drips onto the ground below him, and he huffs as he takes off his fingerless gloves to wring them out. “OGRELEAF!”   
His cry rings out across the manor, and in almost an instance, the sound of footfalls reaches Valkoor’s ears. Another man dressed in black, Krokotopian gear rounds the corner in a hurry. His grey hair sticks out from under his tall fez, eyes wide as he rushes up the stairs and stands before his leader. 

“Yes, High Priest?” Wolf Ogreleaf pants, swallowing as he looks up to the other. 

Valkoor regards him with stern, amethyst eyes. “Take care of my bike and clean up this mess.” 

Wolf scowls, glaring at the other as Valkoor walks past the weaker Death wizard, staring at the one lying on the couch nearby… When the hell was he Valkoor’s slave? He grumbles to himself, dipping his head as he looks over at the redhead on the couch with pure anger and then excuses himself from the room to find some recruit to clean up the mess for him...

The man on the couch hasn’t moved, eyes following the horned wizard’s movements as to not let him out of his sight. “Mason, where is Lilu?”

“I wouldn’t know. She does as she wishes; that’s the nature of Lilu,” the Ice wizard states blandly, blinking as he slowly sits up and his bangs fall over his eyes.

Snickering, Valkoor walks past his second strongest underling, Mason Ashhunter. The cold and calculated warrior has been by his side for longer than he can recall, but as with his second-in-command, Wolf Orgeleaf, he didn’t trust him. He didn’t trust any of them. In fact, if it weren’t for the dangerous green witch he’d met nearly two years ago, he would have put Mason at the top of his wary list. 

“I trust nothing has happened while I was gone?” he questions, not bothering to look back at the recipient of his question. 

Standing up, Mason merely shakes his head and follows the black-clad Death wizard up the stairs toward the Organ Room. “Nothing worth reporting, your highness.”

“Good. Make sure to inform the others of the letter I sent you earlier today…” he orders, pausing near the top to look at the redhead with a narrowed gaze. “Except Lilu.”

“Oh~? What are you keeping from me this time, darling?”

Every fiber of his being tenses, and he reluctantly looks back toward the entrance to the Organ Room where he finds a certain green haired witch on the left, leaning against the stone frame. She’s scantily clad in a green, silken robe, her cheek pressing against the stone pillar, fabric parted to reveal her left shoulder down to her collarbone and a creamy, white thigh exposed and leaving not much to the imagination. Emerald curls frame her porcelain face and fall down past her shoulders, bringing out the seductively dangerous expression in her eyes as she places a hand gently against the cold surface of the stone and manages a sly smirk. 

Valkoor stares blankly for several moments, his breath caught in his throat as he stares at the stunning enchantress. It’s her purring voice that breaks him from the spell she has him under. 

“Valko~or, are you hiding something from me again? That isn’t very kind of you, you know.” 

He exhales deeply, lips pulled into a stern scowl. “Lilu, it isn’t any of your business….just...ju...what the hell are you wearing, anyway? This isn’t the time for your antics. Did you catch the troll or not?”

She sighs, putting on a pouty face as she absently starts to rub her forefinger against the stone and make invisible patterns. “Can’t a girl get a compliment around here?”

[I]“Lilu!”

“All right! Fine! I thought it best to let it go, darling. I figured it would lead us right to Legendmancer. Less work for a beautiful girl like me…” She rolls her eyes, pulling from the pillar to saunter toward the two men with a playful expression. Batting her lashes, she wraps an arm around the leader’s neck gently and cups under his ear with her right hand. Lips brush under his jaw as she speaks, shamelessly pressed against his front and eyelashes falling halfway to flutter against his cheek. “If you don’t like it, you can do whatever you want to me, darling.”

Valkoor stiffens, his breath caught once more as he refrains himself from making a sound. Every muscle in his body is frozen, and he can’t move as his brain nearly melts from the feeling of her warmth pressing against his cold, wet body and the tickle of her breath against his bare skin. A familiar scent of Tiger Lilies and Trumpet Vines invades his nose, like a sweet poison dripping over his senses and luring him into the abyss of lust. 

She’s gotten too good at pressing his buttons. It’s as if she knows exactly how to make any man tremble in her presences, to bend a man’s will at the bat of an eyelash. That very power, Valkoor knows, is what makes her so very dangerous. 

His hands hover over her sides as if he’s about to embrace her, but reality turns on like a light switch, and his amethyst eyes widen as sense returns to him. Gritting his teeth, he pushes the witch off of him against the nearby wall, his hands finding her throat as he lifts her up and pins her to the wall. 

Her green eyes expand in her skull, surprise on her face followed by fear as she struggles against his grip. “Va-l-ko-OR!” she gasps, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes as black already begins to form in the corners of her vision. 

“I’m tired of your games, Lilu!” Valkoor hisses, and Mason merely stands in the background with a half-amused smirk on his face and arms crossed over his chest. “I told you to catch the troll!”

“Bu...But if they...find...the tr-oll...the-n...the la-ast one wi-ill...come...and...they will a-ll….bu-burn…” she managed to choke, her thrashing slowing down as her strength quickly waned. Her hands pull at Valkoor’s in a desperate attempt to get him to let her go as her consciousness quickly fades.

The Death wizard hesitates, and a deadly aura has seemed to radiate from his body. Mason winces as he feels the death radiate from his leader, and he steps back in an attempt to avoid it when he realizes that his own skin is beginning to turn black. However, the witch remains unaffected by the rage of Valkoor’s aura: the only one immune to their leader’s outbursts of death. 

“Fine. We’ll do it your way, witch,” Valkoor grumbles, letting go to allow the green haired woman to fall down to the ground with a gasp. She lands on her side, panting and coughing and trembling uncontrollably; however, Valkoor doesn’t care as he turns away from her. 

Her bloodshot eyes glared up at the leather clad wizard, and she bared her teeth. “I’m going to kill you one day, Valkoor Ashblood. And when that day comes, your screams will be my dying ecstasy. 

A chill runs through him, and he glances back at Lilu as she slowly raises herself from the ground. “Until then, remember who saved you from the grave, Lilu. Recall who’s blood runs through yours, undead witch. You are MINE.”

Lilu snickers, glaring to the side before letting out a puff of hot air and closing her eyes. She calms her inner anger, her smirk returning to her face as she approaches him one more time. “And I’d love to be yours in every way, darling~”

“That’s enough, Lilu. We’ve already been through this. I’m returning to my quarters, ALONE, and getting out of these wet clothes. That is final.”

Stepping in front of him and pressing both her hands gently against his chest, she looks up at him with her bottom lip curled and head tilted to the right. “Are you sure you don’t need any help, love?”

With a deep sigh, he catches her wrists and plies her hands from his chest. “I am quite sure. Goodnight, Lilu. See to it that what I told you is carried out, Mason.” 

Mason nods once in Valkoor’s direction. “As you wish, Valkoor. It shall be done with haste.”

The Death wizard regards Lilu for a moment, holding her gaze sternly as he speaks. “Be warned, demon: should you displease the master, you’ll find yourself wishing that I hadn’t found your body to begin with.”

He lets go of her wrists abruptly, turning on his heel and marching past them and into the nearby room. Green eyes watching his retreating steps with an underlying hatred, Lilu’s smirk never fades, and a tongue darts briefly from her lips to trace her top lip. 

Mason turns his attention to the green haired mistress, inclining his head toward her. Sensing his cool gaze on her silk-clad form, she looks toward the Ice wizard and raises a brow. “What? Hoping to score on what my darling missed out on~?”

Blinking twice, the redhead pauses momentarily to look between the two, calculating the situation as he always does. He then raises his hand, offering it to the other in a silent question. 

Scoffing at the gloved hand, she rolls her eyes and walks after Valkoor. Playfully, she blows a kiss over her shoulder and waves back at the unenthused Ice wizard. “I’m sorry, honey. I’m not a fan of easy prey…”

Xxx

*Later*

Standing in sweet solitude, Valkoor stares into the flickering flames of his fireplace, arms crossed over his now bared chest. Tendrils of light crawl across the dark, paper walls, and ever so often, a flash of lightning serve to further brighten the room and illuminate the bland room that consists of nothing more than a plain bed, a fireplace, and a night stand. An old birdcage sits upon the nightstand, the bronze gleaming in the firelight and encasing two tiny songbirds. As one sings merrily to the tune of the crackling wood nearby, the other stands wearily, perched beside it in silence on the swing with head dipped low.

Amethyst eyes narrow in thought, and Valkoor grits his teeth as he remembers the day Valerian Legendmancer undid the master’s plans and left the Ministry in ruins. He can remember the carnage, the blood of his allies splattered on the floor like a million flower petals scattered by the wind, and the sound of shrill screams in a demented orchestra of suffering. Had it been that stupid group of wizards suffering, he would have taken pleasure in it all, but all he had to show for it was one dead witch and the destruction of over half of the Ministry. 

Afterwards, the Master had asked him to salvage what he could, so he took the only thing with any value to the Ministry…

“Lilu…” he mutters, sighing as he inclines his head toward the door with a sour expression. “I know you’re there.”

“Hehehehehehe~” The wooden door creaks open, a pale hand wrapping around the edge as a familiar face peers around the corner with a Cheshire Grin. “Sharp as ever, darling.”

Brow twitching, the Death wizard brushes a hand over a single horn in annoyance. “What do you want?”

“I brought you something to nibble on~” she giggles as she enters the small room, a silver tray with sweet delicacies hovering behind her. Cakes and small pies leave no room to see the bottom of the tray, their smell filling the vaguely smoky room. Meandering past him, Valkoor’s eyes watch the silken-clad from appreciatively, trained on the flirtatious sway of her hips and the way her bare feet tiptoe across the wooden floor.

“Fine, you can set it on the nightstand and leave.” He turns his back to the green witch, and obediently, she sets it beside the birdcage. Smirking at the two songbirds, she pauses and admires the two white songbirds with a rare yet sweet gleam. 

“These are fine creatures,” she purrs, standing to look over to the other wizard in the room. 

Valkoor glances over his shoulder to see what she’s talking about, and manages a small smile in return. “Indeed. They’re gifts from one of the younger followers. I believe their name was Jasmine. She comes from a world where they’re quite common.”

“Oh~? Miss Jasmine? Should I be worried about this Jasmine taking my man?” she cooes, raising a brow as she saunters toward Valkoor with a predatory grin. 

“I am not ‘your man’,” he snorts, turning his head away as he recrosses his arms. “Leave me be, Lilu.”

“Leave you be? I know you don’t mean that, Val~” she giggles, covering her lips with the tips of her fingers. “You know we’re alone now...There’s no need to act so cruel.”

Her hands find his bare shoulders, fingers gently pressing to massage the stiff muscles as her lips find his ear. Valkoor could feel her pressing against him again, and her gentle breath against his ear sent a shiver coursing through him. Fingers digging into his biceps, he grit his teeth and managed a warning hiss. 

[I]“Lilu…”

Her answer was a taunting purr in his ear, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he debated either allowing her to stay or throwing her out the door by force. “Ye~s, love?”

Hands leaving his shoulders, the Death wizard could sense the fingers traveling between the two of their bodies, pulling away the silken barrier between them and letting it slowly flutter to the ground at their feet. Deft lips trace his shoulder blade to his spine, and he swallows as he fights himself, knowing that he promised that this wouldn't happen again--yet, here they were: her bare form pressed against his bared back and his pants far too tight for comfort. 

His resolve dissolves into thin air, and as a piece of wood pops nearby, his patience in turn snaps. 

[I]“Son of a bitch…” 

Lilu lets out a loud laugh as Valkoor abruptly turns around, crouching temporarily only to cup the back of her thighs and lift her up with ease. Mirthful triumph breaks out across the witch’s face, and her fists entangle themselves in white hair when his greedy mouth finds her own and coaxes her lips apart with his own. Their tongues meet in a passionate tango, trying to drink each other dry of pleasure and swallowing the recurring moans. His hands find the small of her back, keeping her from falling backward while effectively pressing her warm body against his own. 

It’s only two steps until they reach the bed, Valkoor practically falling on top of the giggling green witch and desperate hands remapping a body he would probably admit to know all TOO well. 

Porcelain soft skin beneath his fingertips, the way she squirms whenever her manages to find one of her own many buttons, beautiful emerald hair, bright green eyes like vibrantly colored leaves in spring...to Valkoor, she seems far too perfect to be real. There isn’t even a single scar on her flawless form, and he assumes that there must be some dark magic to make something so consummate. 

Breaking the kiss with a brief-lasting trail of saliva connecting their lips, the Death wizard takes in the sight of the woman beneath him. Cheeks colored with a light hue of pink, eyes glazed over and half-lidded, and bared chest heaving and pressing against his own, she is the picture of any man’s fantasy.

One hand tentatively reaching upwards and brushing over one of Valkoor’s curved horns, Lilu smirks and rests her cheek against the rustled blankets beneath them. “What are you looking at, love?”

“Something that shouldn’t exist…” he mutters, amethyst eyes narrowed momentarily before he shakes his head and manages a small smile while pressing his lips to the skin of her throat, trailing down her body steadily.

Lilu lets out a purr of approval, body arching to his touch and skin tingling with every brush of skin. He’s always been able to give her a thrill unlike any of the others in these damned walls. A pleasured hum fills the air as she trembles beneath her savior, head pressing back against the mattress and eyes closed in contentedness. 

Yet, even with her eyes closed, she can still see HIM. 

“Move.” 

Valkoor’s harsh voice snaps her from her train of thought, and she opens her eyes with a surprised blink before she grins at the determined and licentious expression plain as day on his face. Wiggling backward and readjusting herself, she lays on her side and rests her head against the plain, white pillow. 

Gaze fixated on the green haired witch, Valerian commits her form to memory as he undos his belt: taking in the hourglass curves and fair bosom, the way the firelight compliments her pale form and wraps her in a seductive glow that merely mirrors the way her eyes seem to beckon him forth in the dark. The last articles of clothing on his body join her robe on the ground, and it doesn’t take him long to join the beautiful visage, greedy to devour the dessert she has so graciously gifted him with. The silver tray of sweets nearby is forgotten, and the delectable aroma is replaced with the scent of Tiger Lilies, ash, smoke, and sweat. Likewise, the crackling of the fireplace is drowned out by wanton, desperate moans and free giggles. 

It’s familiar for the both of them, a sinful treat that both knew they shouldn’t partake in. Yet, even as they fill themselves with the other’s presence and pleasure, it’s still the same as it has always been for the green haired witch in the end. 

White hair and amethyst eyes that are so familiar...but it’s wrong...Everything about it is all so...wrong... There’s horns where there shouldn’t be...tan skin that should be pale...rough, calloused hands holding her wrists that should instead be gentle and soft, fingers intertwined with her own. And while the name seems so familiar...it too just doesn’t sound right when it falls from her parted, kiss-swollen lips. There’s a ghost of HIM where her lover is, and she can’t help but imagine it in place of him. 

As the dream reaches its crescendo, she’s left gasping for air as her hands fist in the fabric of the white pillows beneath her head, and his moan fills her ears...far too deep...far too wrong...Her trembling partner then rolls away from her, lying beside her. She lets out an exhausted laugh, giddy with ecstasy, but as she turns her head to say something to the Death wizard nearby, she is met with a back and a tired, inaudible mumble. That in itself is wrong...so very wrong...and a familiar ache returns to her chest where her heart once was. 

Swallowing, she too turns onto her side away from the other and rests her cheek upon her hands. Sleep starts to tug at her lashes, and she sighs into the smoky air. Closing her eyes slowly, she imagines those ghostly, gentle hands combing through her hair and sweet nothings in her ears. However, as she nears sleep, the memory fades away with the pitter-patter of rain on the window into sweet nothingness...A single tear falls down her nose, and the silent bird in the cage falls from its perch in the cage…

[I]Dead.


	11. Chp 10--Part Two; The next Day

***Calamity's POV***

_Bright…_

That’s the first thing I think when I open my eyes to the outside world, struggling to have them open long enough for everything to come into focus.

Where...am I?

I moan, my chest vaguely sore as I turn onto my side and rest my cheek against something soft. A gentle hand rubs my ear, and I can’t help but let out a hum as I lean against the touch.

“Shhh...You’re all right...Don’t move too much…” I can hear someone saying, but the world is nothing but a dream…

I can remember...something...vaguely...Like not being able to breathe...Blood...and...

_THE DUEL!!!_

I shoot up in bed only to wince at the sharp pain in my torso, the world coming into view around me just as I hear a soft voice beside me and feel a gentle hand touch my shoulder to nudge me back down.

“Easy...Don’t push yourself too hard…”

As I lay back down compliantly, the vague lines come into focus, and I realize where I am. I’m back in the room that’s become my own over time, the bookshelves still steadily organizing themselves. However, this time, I’m free of my chains, and my clothes are neatly folded over the end railing of the bed near my feet. As my gaze flits over to my right, I see the very one-and-only tiny Death witch sitting in a chair nearby. Her amber gaze is set solely on me, tiny lips set in an even smaller smile.

Eyes narrowing, I shoot her a disdainful glare. Honestly, what the hell is she doing here anyway?

“Good morning, Calamity,” she chirps, her voice more mousey than that stupid Burrower downstairs.

“Tssk, good morning,” I snicker, turning my head away from the girl. Maybe if I ignore her, she’ll just go away and leave me be to rot in this stupid castle. She’s the reason I lost my chance to kill that other witch anyway…

Her hand reaches out to hold my own, and I can feel the warmth surrounding my paw...as well as the dread aura that comes with being a Death Wizard. “How’s your injury?”

“Fine…” I mutter, and I am. I feel...more fine than I should be after that injury I sustained. What even happened afterward? I lift up the blanket enough to look down toward my bare torso and realize that there’s nothing but the same perfection there has always been. Where there should be a large, diagonal slash is simply flawless, red fur.

The girl must have picked up on my confusion, for she speaks up at that very moment. “I...I healed you while you were unconscious...M..Mariah said it wasn’t wise...but...I don’t think you...you really hate us...I think you’re just hurt...Like Val...Valerian was…”

She healed me..? I blink, letting the knowledge sink in, and a cold and revolting feeling begins to fall over me. That magic...touched me…

I rip my hand away with a snarl, ears flattened as I sit up and bare my teeth to the small witch. “Don’t touch me, demon!” I snap.

She lets out a yelp as I pull away, yellow eyes wide in surprise as she blinks at me once and then dips her head to look at her lap. “I’m sorry…” With a tiny, nearly inaudible hum to herself, she stands and tilts her head to the side with an obviously forced, tiny smile. “I’m Scarlet, if it means anything to you. If...you need anything...you need only ask.”

“Tssk, like I’d ask someone like you,” I scoff, snickering as I roll my eyes.

“You know, Calamity, when a ‘someone like me’ heals someone, they give up a part of themselves to save another, and for just a moment--just...a fraction of a second--there’s a bond between two souls,” she mutters, walking toward the door, and I can make out the white bandages soaked with red sticking out from under her long sleeve. “When I looked at your soul, Calamity, I saw something so incredibly beautiful behind the miasma of anger you’ve let consume you; I’d love to see it again one day…”

And the door closed softly after her...

**Xxx**

***Valerian’s POV***

“Hmmm...What do you think, Angel?! Is it high enough?!” Mariah yells from above, holding up a wide banner painted with: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” stretched across the large entryway to the feast hall.

Angel frowns, his calculating gaze narrowing pensively. “Perhaps seven and a half decimeters upward would be more visually appealing…”

“Seriously, guys. This is going way too far…” I bring out, letting out a weary sigh as Mariah looks over her shoulder and places her hand on her hip with a sasy huff.

“Excuse me, birthday boy? This is the most important day of the year, and you ALWAYS forget it,” she chides, her bottom, rosy red lip curling in a pout.

“No, I don’t ‘forget it’, I simply...choose to ignore it,” I mutter, crossing my arms as I look anywhere else than the hotheaded fire witch upon the nearby ladder. “It’s not that big of a deal anyway.”

“NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL?!” I hear her screech, and I wince as she pauses to likely put the banner in place before storming down her ladder. Heels clicking on the floor, Angel steps out of her path as not to be involved with her frivolous fury. “Lemme tell you what, handsome pants, I’m so sick and tired of your little slumps. You need to pull your head out of your ass and let your friends throw you this sick ass party, cause I’m not putting up with your attitude anymore. Got that, Mr. Savior of the Spiral?”

By this point, it’s easier to give in to her demands than put up with her arguing (as she’ll go on for days without respite, from personal experience). Dipping my head, I manage a forced smirk and look toward the witch whose hands are firmly planted on her lips and green eyes boring holes into my very soul. “Fine. Do whatever.”

Her stern scowl breaks into an uncensored grin as she claps her hands together and bounces on one foot. “YAY~!” she squeals before grabbing my wrist and pulling me toward the feast hall. “Come, come! Let me show you the diagram Angel drew up for us!”

It’s not surprising how well detailed the diagram is that she shows me. Everything from exact specification on height and volume to even the spot-on scale in regards to everything in involved--it’s something that’s become expected in anything touched by the infamous perfectionist, Angel Dunerunner.

“And, um...here we have the cake...and ooh! We can put some balloons over here, and…” Mariah’s voice fades into the background as I think back on the duel from yesterday. The image of that Avalonian (Calamity, I believe her name was) standing over me and ready to take away my breath for the rest of my miserable existence is still fresh in my mind. Sword raised high into the afternoon sky, she was prepared to end me with one fell swing… Mariah might take tribute for saving me from ‘certain death,’ but I’m no fool. Even as my adrenaline raced through me, every nerve in my body screaming in fear at what seemed to be the inevitable, something inside told me that she wouldn’t take her chance.

“VALERIAN?! Are you even listening to me?!” Mariah huffs, glaring at me as my cheeks warm in embarrassment.

Did she say something important?

“Um...Uh…” I stumble over my words, trying to find an answer that won’t lead to the Fire witch burying me in the stead of Calamity.

“She’s awake.”

Scarlet’s voice is my savior as all eyes land on the one-and-only entering the room to approach the three of us.

“Hmph, about time. Thought she was going to sleep the week away,” Mariah snickers, crossing her arms over her bosom and rolling her eyes. However, the moment Scarlet comes within arm’s length, her expression softens into something akin to concern, and she reaches over to gently grab the other’s hand to lift up her sleeve. “How’s your arm?”

“It’s doing fine,” Scarlet replies, blushing as she dips her head to cast a shadow over her eyes.

Angel looks over my shoulder curiously (though his curious face and his I-Don’t-Care face are the exact same...just like pretty much every expression he has). “I still fail to register why you bothered with healing her. If you hadn’t, the chances of Valerian’s murder would have drastically decreased…”

“After all these years, I’d hope you’d learn what the word sympathy and generosity meant,” I mutter, and I look over at Scarlet’s arm as Mariah unwraps it to reveal the healing slash marks across her wrist. It’s a familiar, yet sickening sight--even now.

Mariah sighs, looking them over and turning her arm forward and backward to inspect the entire expanse of creamy white skin. “At least they’re healing nicely, but you’ll need new bandages…Where’s Skeet?”

“Skeet’s in the kitchen preparing for tonight’s dinner,” I reply only for Angel to step forward and gesture toward the nearby door.

“I can take care of it for you,” he says in the same dry tone as ever, blinking slowly before turning on his heel to exit the room.

“Thank you.”

Scarlet walks after him, and Mariah watches after her with a longing and concerned countenance. “I wish Lily were still here,” she whispers, closing her eyes and reaching up to play with the end of her braid.

If Lily were still here, Scarlet wouldn’t have to subject herself to the self-mutilation required in reviving others. Regardless of that fact, I’m quite sure that everyone wishes Lily were still here. However, no matter how much damage Scarlet inflicts upon herself, she can’t bring back dead, especially when there’s no body left in the first place.

“Val..?” Mariah calls my name much quieter than usual, and I turn my attention to the redhead looking over her little diagram. “If something like...THAT...happens to me...promise me that...you won’t let Scarlet try and bring me back?”

It’s a question that causes a lump in my throat because it isn’t something I can promise. “I...Mariah...that isn’t…”

“Nevermind, Val. It’s not going to happen anyway.” With that said, she flips around with the same flamboyant grin as ever, flipping her braid over her shoulder with a sassy ‘hmph.’ “No one can kill the Goddess of Fire.”

Good. She’s still here.

I smile affectionately and soften my gaze before speaking. “I wouldn’t know a single person who’d dare try.”

“Sir, the food is almost ready. Did you intend for that...creature to accompany us?” Skeet walks into the room with his hands behind his back, head held high. His nose twitches, and I can tell he’s already irritated at the thought.

Nevertheless, time is ticking, and I can’t afford to allow Calamity to sit in my room hiding all week.

“I do. You can continue preparing, and I’ll fetch her.”

“Very well…” is his dry response, and his nose twitches again as he turns tail and head back whence he came.

Time to lure out a beat from its cave…

_Joy…_

**Xxx**

“Calamity?” I knock on the door three times, giving the Avalonian time to prepare herself for my entry as I’m loathe to walk into a sight like I saw the first time she was conscious in my bed…

Irrefutable curves...Modest bosom...silky, red fur...

STOP!

I won’t even think about it. Torn between disgust and fascination, I shake the images out of my head and focus on the task at hand as I open the door a crack to peek in when I receive no response. “Calamity?”

“Go away…” I hear a muffled reply, and I am greeted with the sight of the clothed (thank the Spiral) Avalonian face down on my bed with her face buried in a pillow like a child throwing a fit.

“Would you please join us for dinner?” I ask with the most convincing, positive attitude I can, but I’m well aware that the chances of me convincing her to leave is like trying to convince a bear to set down a hive full of honey in favor of a stick of dried up berries.

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“There’s ca-”

“I said no.”

With a huff, I march over to the bed, determined to change her mind. “Calamity, we made a deal that you would provide me with a chance to change your mind about me. Hiding yourself away in here will dishonor you.”

“Food doesn’t change my mind, wizard. Now, get out before I change my mind about upholding our deal,” she grumbles, and my brow twitches.

Fine, if she wants to starve, she can go ahead and starve. Maybe she’ll starve to death before the week’s up.

“Suit yourself,” I grumble, shuffling over toward the door when I hear...IT.

_Rumble-gurgle-gumble._

What the…? Was that..?

_Guuuuuurgle._

Well then...I guess her stomach and her mind aren’t on the same track.

“Calamity...I can’t cut out your stomach and take it with me. I need the rest of you to come downstairs. Are you coming, or are you going to sit up here like a child?”

“...”

**Xxx**

***Calamity***

Stupid wizard.

Stupid stomach.

Stupid agreement.

Stupid freaking honor.

I glower at the wizards seated at the table, sitting myself across the table from that witch from this morning and effectively one seat away to the left from the weird wizard with that ever-lasting frown on his face. Who put thorns in his cereal?

Valerian seats himself at the head of the table, the fire and death witches to his right, and that weird wizard and myself to his left. Plates are carefully placed in front of us, wrapped silverware lying atop them with empty glasses to the top left. An ornate, white tablecloth and draped over the long table which could easily seat up to fifteen more people, and the crystal chandelier gleams with the light of the candles placed inside it.

I do my best not to make eye contact with anyone at the table, and the feeling of the cold stares of that weird wizard and the fire witch makes me want to squirm in my seat. To say the least, I’m uncomfortable.

At the sound of footsteps, I raise my head to look at Skeet approaching with a trolley filled with various silver-covered trays. Several aromas begin to fill my nose, and I can feel the saliva building in my mouth, my stomach grumbling again with the promise of food.

“That smells lovely, Skeet~” croons the redhead, clapping her hands together as she practically gushes over the course. She’s likely said what we’re all thinking.

“Thank you,” is his curt reply as he sets the trays on the table and uncovers them one-by-one to reveal assortments of boar, maize, pastries, potatoes, and more.

As soon as he’s finished, we all seem to dig in at the same time, and I hurriedly start grabbing anything I can get my fork into. A slice of boar meat, slathered with gravy, a heap of maize, an entire flame-cooked potato, and a veritable mountain of cake.

It only takes a few seconds for me to start gorging myself with it, and I’m frankly surprised that it tastes this good. Apparently, that Burrower can actually do more than nag.

Chewing my food and silverware clinking against the plate as I prepare my next bite, I realize that I don’t hear the same sounds from the others sitting at the table. Looking up, I notice that everyone’s gaze is solely on me as if I have four heads. What..the…?

And what’s with the steaming look on the Burrower’s face? It’s angrier than usual...And...Valerian almost looks...like he’s afraid of something..? What’s going on?

I look behind me just in case there’s something I’m just no aware of, but there’s nothing. Then...what…?

“You. Savage.” The hiss comes from the Burrower, and I narrow my gaze to the butler whose teeth are bared in a vicious snarl.

What is he talking about? I’m just eating food.

I look around at the others’ plates and realize that none of their food has been touched. Don’t they want to eat too? Or...are they waiting for something? But, what could they possibly be waiting for?

I feel like I did as a young pup when Agravaine caught me stealing sweets from the pantry when I was supposed to be fasting for an old Avalonian holiday with a name that I’ve quite forgotten now. My stomach feels slightly queasy, and I’m certain it has more to do with a twinge of guilt than the food I’ve just consumed.

“Heh? What? Was I chewing with my mouth open or something?”

“UNGRATEFUL, NONSECULAR, FILTHY-PAWED, UNCULTURED, UNMANNERED BEAST!” he screeches, picking up the knife for cutting the boar and hopping on the table with the sharp end pointing in my direction.

What in the name of King Artorius is his problem?!

“Wh-What?” I blink stupidly for a few seconds before my own temper and patience starts to wane. “Excuse me? What’s your problem? Unmannered? You’re the one standing on the table!”

“OH! YOU VILE SAVAGE! LET ME SHOW YOU UNMANNERED WHEN I CUT YOUR EYES OUT AND MAKE THEM INTO JELLY FOR YOUR TOAST IN THE MORNING!”

“I’D LIKE TO SEE YOU TRY!” I shout back, throwing myself at him and tackling him off the table and onto the ground. He lets out a squeak of surprise as his knife is knocked out of his hands from the impact, as well as his breath.

Struggling under me, he curses some profanity in a language I cannot speak and manages to roll us over and starts trying to punch my face. I hold his tiny hands, keeping my arms locked so that he can’t move his own. It frustrates him, and he lunges to bite my muzzle.

However, our spat is cut short as all the weight on top of me magically disappears. Skeet is yanked off by his single horn and thrown aside, and all I see is the dark shadow looming over top of me, yellow eyes glowing.

A dark, deep voice speaks. “Are you...quite finished?”

I swallow, blinking as I make out the form of the tiny Death witch glaring at the both of us. Skeet hops to his feet, bowing immediately to the equally tall witch. “I apologize for the disturbance, Miss Skullsplitter, and humbly beg your pardon.”

Whatever. I’ve quite had it with this bunch. Screw my deal! Screw these wizards! Screw my plan!

I’m going home.

Shaking my head with a growl, I stand and brush past the small witch to stomp toward the door.

“Calamity?! Where are you going?” I hear her ask, and I don’t bother to look back at whomever’s footsteps are following me.

“I’m leaving.”

I walk down the great hall, ears flat and eyes set on one prize.

The great door of the castle slams behind me, and I’m met with a cold and bitter wind…


	12. The Talk

“Calamity!”

The sound of my name rings in the open air, echoing through the wintery valley, and as it reaches my ears, I do nothing but brush it off. 

My boots sink into the freshly fallen snow, and the bitter wind sinks through my fur and into my skin. Running as fast as I can, a bitter anger resides deep within me, boiling my blood despite the cold world I’m trapped in. 

I’m not quite sure where I’m going; only that I want to venture as far as I can from those wizards--wizards who think they’re a step above everything else. Maybe if I could find my way, I would go home...but...it’s been so long...I’m not sure…

The landscape is nothing but snow and mountains and the occasional tree. Now, the cobblestone path I followed to the castle is completely obscured by the endless hills of white. 

“Calamity! Wait!”

A hand catches my wrist, spinning me around. The motion of me moving forward keeps my body moving in the same direction, and the weight of something (or someone) crashes into me, pushing me down toward the ground. My breath leaves me as I sink through a layer of snow, eyes squeezed shut as I let out a yelp from the force of the impact above me, I’m thankful that the soft snow is there to cushion the blow of my fall. 

A warmth lays over top of me sharply contrasting the cold beneath. However, it leaves me quickly, and I open my eyes to gaze into familiar amethyst. 

Valerian pants, his cheeks and nose flushed with pink from the cold. His white hair flecked with shining bits of ice and snow sticks up in every which direction, giving him a youthful wild visage. Hands buried in the snow on either side of my head, he looks at me first with panic and then relaxes. He lets out a sigh, closing his eyes and managing a small smile. “I caught up to you…”

“Yeah, I can see that,” I mutter, looking away toward the mountains with a disdainful scowl. “Now get the hell off.”

Eyes shooting open, the color on his face deepens as he scrambles to his feet. “S-sorry about that! Here, let me help you up.”

He holds a hand in my direction that I can’t help snickering at. “I’m fine. Leave me alone,” I grumble as I too stand, batting his hand away. Honestly, I’m perfectly capable of standing on my own. Brushing myself off, I ignore the flabbergasted expression on his face and turn in the direction I was heading. 

“Hey! Stop! Where are you going?” I can hear Valerian’s footsteps behind me, following me like an incessant puppy. 

“I’m going home,” I reply sharply, throwing an annoyed look at the storm wizard close on my trail.

“Where is that?”

“Does it matter?”

“I think it does. You’re from Avalon, right? What part?”

“Shut up and leave me alone!” I hiss, turning on my heels to bare my teeth at him. 

He blinks in surprise at my outburst, stopping in his tracks to look at me owlishly. Taking in my words for only a moment, he then shrugs and crosses his arms. “I can’t do that. You owe me. We made a deal. You’re supposed to give me a chance to change your mind. Running away breaks your promise.”

“I don’t care. I’m not coming back to kill you. I’ve had enough of your face for one day!” I huff, glaring at him before turning my head away. 

“Really? Enough of this handsome face? I doubt that. I think you’re just in denial.”

“De-Denial?!” What the hell is he smoking?! My head whips around, jaw slack at his bold statement. As if I would ever be attracted to his kind! 

“Heh,” he chuckles to himself, as if satisfied by both his statement and my reply. “Look, I’m just asking for a chance. Can we just start over?”

Start over?! What does he want, for me to try killing him again? I’m sorely tempted, but I hold my tongue as he raises his hand toward mine. 

“Valerian Legendmancer, Storm Wizard from Ravenwood. It’s an honor to meet you.”

I sigh. What good will any of this do? I suppose that I could...humor him. It wouldn’t hurt in any way, I guess. After all, I do have an agreement to adhere to, and for the time being, he knows how to leave this place and return to Avalon.

Tentatively, I give in and place my hand in his, shaking it gently. “Calamity Dragonbane, Knight of the High Road.”

“The High Road? I remember it as a beautiful place,” he comments with a small smile, shaking my hand in return before returning it to his side. 

“Yeah, it is…” I mutter, my mind losing itself in memories of the red and orange leaves dangling above the fields of untouched green and the numerous cream-colored cottages lined along the cobblestone path leading to Caer Lyon. I can almost feel warm breeze of endless summer rustling my fur and the sounds of young badgers sparring as they train to become true knights of Avalon. 

“I actually came from a world without magic before I came to study at Ravenwood,” he comments, shrugging as he steps aside gestures in the direction I was originally running. “Would you care to join me for a walk?”

“...Fine…” I mutter, letting the information sink in. A world without magic? Does such a place truly exist? Instantly, I was drawn into my younger, curious self...during the days I spent with Agravaine. “What was that place like?”

“My home world?” He looks at me for a moment, and I nod at his statement. “Hmm...It wasn’t much different from any world, I suppose. It was very diverse, as were the people. Of course, most looked like me, but the way we thought and acted was all very different. In fact, my people were constantly fighting with one another. Sometimes, I think it was the bickering and fighting that drove away any magic we might have had long before I ever came to be. And because of that, we were closed off from the rest of the Spiral. In fact, my people were so closed minded that they thought they were the only ones in the Spiral.”

“Really?” It’s a scary thought...the fact that there’s more than one arrogant prick like Valerian in the galaxy. Following him closely, I wonder where we’re going. Are we simply walking aimlessly through the snow? It wouldn’t surprise me. He does a lot of dumb things. 

“Yeah. One day, a talking, walking frog comes up to me and convinces me to come to Ravenwood. Nine years later, here I am,” he chuckles, shrugging and looking back toward me with a small smile. 

“What about your parents? They were okay with you being whisked off to a strange, new world?” I ask, as I know that eventually he’s going to ask me for my own life story. Although, I hardly feel like sharing it.

His smile fades, and he looks back to where he’s walking. “I lost my family when I was very young. I had no ties to my world when the Professor took me to Ravenwood. I doubt there’s anyone left that even remembers I existed.”

“Oh...Are the rest of them from your world too?” 

“You mean Angel, Mariah, and Scarlet?” he asks, and I assume he’s talking about the other wizards inside. I nod. “Well, Cody, Vanessa, and I were still students at Ravenwood when we met Mariah. While Cody and Vanessa were originally from Wizard City, Mariah was actually a member of high society from Marleybone. Her family sent her to Ravenwood as punishment for her...choice of sexuality. She was--and is--a lot to handle at the time, but eventually she joined the group when we took off to explore Krokotopia. After we met Lily and Skeet, our team went to a place called Darkmoor. We met Scarlet there, a slave one of the many lords. When we defeated her lord, Mariah bullied her into joining. As for Angel, he joined our team when we went to Agrabah in Mirage. He used to be one of the biggest thieves in all of Mirage, and ironically enough, he fell in love with Scarlet and joined the team. Unfortunately for him, Scarlet wasn’t on his side of the fence, if you know what I mean.”

“Did you love her too?” I ask, as it seems as if everyone adores that secretly demented Death witch. 

“I’ve always seen Scarlet as a little sister. So, yes, I love her, just not in that way. Angel had a thing for pretty much every girl on the team like Cody does. Now, he has his sights set on Vanessa, but no one has seen Vanessa since she retired as Wizard City’s most distinguished Warlord for three ages. Rumor has it that she settled down somewhere in her home world of Polaris.”

I’d rather keep this conversation going and keep asking questions than him return the favor. “Who’s Cody?”

“Cody is a childhood friend of mine. We met on my first day of school and have been best friends since. He’s a myth wizard. In fact, he’s the one you met when you were locked away almost a month ago. Do you remember him?”

“Yes…”

“Yeah...He has a thing for any woman he sets his sights on. It lands him into trouble a lot; in fact, he really is just trouble. I’ve had to save his ass more times than I can hope to count. But that’s what makes a good friendship, I guess. Heh, I remember the day he saw Vanessa in Ravenwood, walking down the street from her latest class. He basically started drooling when he pointed her out to me, and he bet twenty gold pieces that he could get her to go on a date with him. I don’t know what he said to her, but the look of fury on her face was priceless. It wasn’t soon after when she literally froze his legs to the ground, slapped him as hard as she could across the face, and then taped a sign to his back that said: ‘Slap me: I’m a manwhore,’ haha,” he laughed, a carefree expression on his face as he walked alone one of the stone walls of the mountains surrounding his castle. “From then on, he asked her out every single day that semester. He was slapped so many times that I’m sure that to this day, he still has a handprint-shaped scar on his face.”

“That sounds brutal,” I comment; although, truthfully, I probably would have done the same. Men are sickening, perverted creatures. 

“Yeah, but Cody usually just moves on to the next best thing when he doesn’t get what he wants. He’s flighty to say the least. He moves through lovers like a child with a bag of candy.”

[I]‘Isn’t that all men?’ I wonder. 

“What about you? Have you ever fallen in love?”

Crap. He asked a question. I should have been more on top with my own. I looked away from him, hoping that I can pretend not to hear his question and instead answer with one of my own. “So what’s your favorite color?”

Stupid. So stupid. Honestly, could I not have come up with a better question?!

“...Purple? Don’t change the subject. You have to answer some of my questions too. Don’t be evasive. It’s not like I’m going to run through the Commons in Wizard City, spouting off all your deepest, darkest secrets,” he points out dryly, raising an eyebrow at me. 

“...” I lower my head, staring at my boots as they repetitively raise themselves out of the snow only to disappear again in white. 

“Well? Fine. If you don’t want to answer that question, I’ll move onto something a little easier. What do you do for fun?”

“Fun?” I blink, tilting my head for a moment in thought. I haven’t really done anything recreational ever since Agravaine’s death. For so long, I’ve been focused my training and on my revenge that I haven’t done anything. “I...um...I haven’t...done anything ‘fun’ for...a really long time…” I whisper, looking away as my cheeks heat the slightest amount in embarrassment. 

“Truly? That’s...awful...I’m sorry. What did you like to do, then?” he asks softly. 

I pause for a moment in thought, reaching back into my memories oh so long ago. “I enjoyed training once. It was my dream to be a knight…”

“But besides training? Is that all you did: train?”

“Sometimes Caer Lyon would hold extravagant parties in the town square in honor of our king. I enjoyed attending--the folk songs, the sound of the lutes, the dancing, the gambling, all of it,” I recalled, lost in the memories. “I can remember..when I would watch Agravaine trying to charm a lady to dance with...when he would...eventually fail and end up asking me to dance as a last effort. The night would end with a bonfire...and everyone would take turn leading another song dedicated to the king and Avalon.”

Valerian smiles, nodding as I speak and then finally adding on when I finish. “So, did you sing too?”

“Uh...um...Well...I-I-I’m by no means a go-good singer…” I manage, flushing as I look away. The topic of my singing has always been a sensitive subject. I don’t consider myself in any way a decent singer. I’d rather sing with the whistle of my blade than anything. 

“I bet you are. You have a decent enough speaking voice,” he teases, elbowing me with a playful smile, and I cast my glance away. “You should totally sing something for my birthday this week.”

“I...politely decline the invitation…” I bring out, swallowing bashfully as I reach up to subconsciously rub at one of my ears. “Your birthday, though...It’s this week?”

“Yeah...Mariah is forcing me to throw a party. It’s in two days. She’s practically invited everyone from like...14 worlds...including those snot-nosed pigs from Wysteria…” he whines, rolling his eyes with a slight pout. It makes him seem much younger than he seems to be. 

“How old will you be turning, then?”

“Uh...twenty-one, I think,” he says slowly, eyes narrowing in thought. “It’s amazing to think that I became a wizard nine years ago...Really...It doesn’t seem like that long…” 

I catch Valerian smiling slightly as he walks beside me, and he stops suddenly in his tracks. “Come here, I want to show you something.” He motions for me to follow him, and he disappears between a crevice in the mountainside. I duck my head and squeeze through the crevice, scooting with my back pressed against the wall from the tight space. A bright light shines from the otherside, and I wince as I finally step out and into something from a dream. 

Bright green grass gently sways in the wind, flowers in full bloom and wafting delicate aromas into the air and thus into my nose. A river runs through the hidden plateau that is sheltered above from the wintery world by a mountain ledge. I step forward, blinking in awe as I watch Valerian walk toward a white bridge stretching over the running water. He pauses at the top with a cheeky grin, and waves me on. 

“Come on! You look like you’ve just tasted chocolate for the first time!” he laughs, a light and carefree sound. 

Following him over the bridge, he leads me to a private gazebo, the pillars decorated with trumpet vines. The trumpet vines honk at my arrival, tooting their horns in a delightful song. It makes a small, genuine smile appear on my face for the first time in a while. They remind me of the trumpet vines back home…

I reach out to touch one of the flowers in awe and don’t care of the looming presence of the Storm wizard behind me. Everything else seems to fade into the background as the trumpet vine toots happily at my touch, pressing into one of my paws for my attention. Another gets jealous, honking loudly, and Valerian laughs as he speaks up. 

“They like you.”

“Apparently so,” I mutter as I reach out to the jealous vine, touching its petals gently as a whole chorus starts up in protest. I step back, containing a small laugh as I know I won’t be able to give my attention to all of them. 

“All right, all right! Settle down,” he chides, wagging a finger at them as they all droop and eventually quiet down. The depression seems to loom in the air, and a small feeling of pity forms in me. Nevertheless, Valerian waves me out of that mindset, motioning for me to stand next to him as he leans against the railing. 

As I approach him, I look over in awe at the beautiful spectacle before me. A large pond stretches out in front of us, covered in lily pads and tiny green frogs swimming and hopping about as they please. The crystal clear spring water sparkles with light, almost like a there’s a million diamonds beneath the surface. Cat tails sway like the grass and complete the picture of the beauty before me. I can’t help but mutter, “Wow…”

“Yeah…” Valerian sighs, arms laying on the white railing and knuckles pressed against his pale cheek. “I like to come here to think...or really just to relax...When I’m here...it’s like...just for a little while, everything seems okay--like the Spiral is at peace.”

“For the time being, it is,” I comment, and I know that it is because of the Storm wizard and his team. I can’t deny that evidence, but at the same time, they did so at a steep price. 

Valerian pauses, glancing at me from the corner of his eyes. “Does that mean I already changed your mind?”

“No. Not even close, wizard scum,” I growl, glaring at him for his audacity to think such a thing. 

“But this is progress. We’re holding an actual conversation with no attempted murdering or yelling or fighting,” he points out with a small smile. “I’ll take what I can.”

“Hmph, whatever…” Although, he has a point. 

“Calamity...who was your brother? What was he like?” 

The question comes out of the blue and causes me to blink in surprise, and he doesn’t look at me as his amethyst gaze is casted solely on the pond below us. 

“...His...name was Sir Agravaine...one of the Knights of the Round Table and one of the most respected in all of Avalon. He was smart...kind...and very talented with a sword. He taught me everything he knew, even though I’m a girl. There aren’t many female knights, you know. He would have given everything for Avalon…” I manage, and the topic creates a knot in my throat. “Why do you care, anyway?”

“...Don’t think that I’m oblivious to the things I’ve done for the Spiral. I don’t remember your brother. I don’t remember what I did. It all blurs into the history of nine years. However, I know the pain of what happened and of what you feel is all too real…” He sighs, turning toward me with one hand on the rail and the other waving as he speaks. “For what I’ve done to you, and for what I may have done to many others around the Spiral, I am truly and humbly sorry. I can only ask for your forgiveness…Whether or not you can accept that, is not up to me.”

I regard him for a moment, and the sincerity in his eyes is unquestionable. That fact alone causes unease in my stomach, and I turn my head away so that I cannot see it anymore. I will not allow for his smooth words to trick me. I am not gullible. 

[I]“Calamity...Look at me.”

Reluctantly, I turn my head enough so that I can look at him from the corner of my eye. “Hmm?”

“I do not care what you decide to do to me at the end of this week--whether you decide to spare my life or not. However, I do care that when you make that decision, you can do so with no regrets. I’ve had my share of regrets; do not step into my shoes and follow upon the path of guilt. Trust me, it sucks.” 

He tries to let out a small chuckle at his last sentence, but I can sense the tenseness in both his words and his body. There’s a certain pleading in his eyes, and close my eyes in defeat and give a small nod. “I will take that into consideration.”

“Thank you, Calamity,” he manages with a relieved sigh, looking toward the setting sun in the distance. “Then, if you will excuse me, I would presume that everyone else is getting worried around now. Will you come back with me?”

I hesitate, looking toward one of the trumpet vines as a distraction. “I’m not quite sure I want to return just yet…” I don’t feel like talking to that stupid Burrower. 

“If you’re worried about Skeet, I’m sure Scarlet already talked him down. But, take your time. Head back whenever you feel ready…” he says, bowing slightly toward me as he takes a step back. “Thank you for listening to what I’ve had to say.”

Valerian turns around, heading out of the gazebo and over the bridge toward the crevice. As I pet one of the trumpet vines absentmindedly, I let out a small sigh. 

I’m not sure what came over me, but the moment I saw the wizard nearing the crevice, something in me snapped. 

What am I even doing?

“Valerian! Wait!”


	13. The Party

***Valerian’s POV***

“Is this...really necessary?” My irritated sigh breaks the still air of my room. I’m sitting on the bed, annoyed gaze focused on the mirror across the room on my desk. 

I’m dressed in a white dress shirt and an obnoxiously purple vest with yellow lightning decals decorating the silk fabric. An equally violet bow tie accentuates the color of both the vest and my eyes, and may I say that it really does seem like too much…

[I]I look...gay…

But I guess...girls always seem to be friendlier toward gay men, so it might not be a total loss. Then again, this vest seems way too form fitting for my taste, and I’m half afraid that Mariah might even add a sparkling belt and some earrings to this flamboyant outfit. 

“Of course it is, birthday boy!” Mariah chirps, kneeling behind me on the mattress as she ensures that the pointed birthday hat is strapped to my head firmly. 

Looking at my reflection with that stupid hat now, I deadpan and grumble. “I look like a gay storm wizard trying to be a unicorn…”

“Oh, nonsense. Only half of that is true,” she giggles, waving it off as she jumps off the bed and spins. Of course, I guess my outfit is probably better in relation to her poor choice in wardrobe. Today, of all days, she’s decided to don a Santa-inspired dress...complete with the red fabric, black belt, and white trim… Only...she’s decided to take it a step too far with the low-cut top that (should anyone be tall enough to look down) would allow one to see all the way down to her belly button if you really wanted, and a skirt that is definitely by ANY MEANS fingertip length. The thigh-high lace leggings with mistletoe designs along the top only add to accentuate the overall, borderline slutiness of her outfit. 

It’s a wonder how Scarlet ever tolerates her wardrobe choices. 

“What do you mean half of that is true?!”

“Well, the gay storm wizard of course!” Mariah snickers, rolling her eyes with her hands on her hips. “When’s the last time you’ve slept with any girls? Every time Cody takes you and Angel out somewhere, you’re the only one that doesn’t come back with some big-breasted babe attached at the mouth. You’re losing your street cred, Mr. Sexiest Bachelor of the Year. What good is being so attractive if you never get anything out of it?”

“What good is it to dress so...provocatively if you never want that sort of attention?” I backfire, my cheeks turning hot as I cross my arms over my chest protectively. 

She waves her hand carelessly as if brushing away my comment. “Oh, I want attention, all right. But just because I want people to stare doesn’t mean I want their hands all over me...unless, of course, that’s my darling.” Winking, she heads toward the door before pausing thoughtfully. “Speaking of which, how do you think she and Ms. Merryweather are doing with Calamity?”

Merryweather and Scarlet were tasked with coming up with some sort of nice and alternate wear for the Avalonian, and I would assume that the hardest task is getting her to wear anything fancy. She hardly seems like the extravagant type like Mariah. 

“Eh…” is all I can bring myself to say as I stand and close my eyes with a sigh. “Do I REALLY have to wear this?”

“Yes, REALLY,” she snorts, opening the door and gesturing for me to walk through it. 

“Fine, but I’m not wearing this ridiculous hat.”

“Oh yes you are!”

“...”

[I]Like Hell I am. 

Xxx

***Calamity POV***

I hadn’t expected things to turn out the way they had. Just two days ago, I was ready to throw everything to the wind, give up on this stupid deal, and run towards Avalon until I collapsed from exhaustion and let the crows peck out my eyes. 

Now, here I stand in one of the guest rooms, looking at my form through a full-sized mirror with two wizards standing behind me for my opinion. 

Clad in black with gold trim, I fidget with the golden hand guards and the buckles of my knee-high combat boots. I’m not quite sure how I’d describe my outfit...I don’t know what to really call it. However, Merryweather said that it was a trending fashion in Wizard City called the Guardian’s Vestment. She said she’d opted to take off the useless, decorative wings that came with it, however, as apparently they didn’t seem to suit me. 

I could honestly care less. At least they didn’t stick me in some ridiculous dress; knights don’t wear stupid dresses. 

“Well, how do you like it, dearie?” the old seamstress asks, apparently proud of her work as she smirks knowingly and crosses her arms. 

Adjusting the golden belt wrapped around my waist, I nod and turn slightly to get a good glance at my figure in the glass. “It’s fine.”

Although I won’t say it aloud, it’s definitely more than fine. There’s nothing like this in Avalon for sure, nothing of such high quality. The fabric hugs my form like a cool blanket, and despite the metal guards and belt, I’m far from uncomfortable, and it’s far from heavy. In fact, the metal seems almost nonexistent in terms of mass. 

Looking over my shoulder, I look at the sight of the Death witch in a stylish black trench coat with matching golden buttons with imprinted skull designs and a corset back. A bat-shaped clip pins her unruly white hair back solely on the left side of her head. She nods at me, looking at my own costume with a faint smile. “It suits you.”

“Of course it does, Mama Merryweather knows what she’s doing, after all,” Eloise chuckles, humming delightfully as she turns to pack up her work. “Now, hop along. The party’s about to start!”

Scarlet dips her head sharply in her direction before turning her attention back to me. “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I mutter, rolling my eyes and following her out the door of the borrowed guest room. As I leave the safety of the room and the sound of a crowd’s laughter and good cheer, a sense of dread pools in my stomach. 

Xxx

***Valerian’s POV***

Filled with color and Christmas spirit, the grand hall of my castle seems to gleam brilliant colors and almost overwhelms me with the sheer number of people gathered. Mariah has never ceased to impress me with her ability to throw a party, no matter the amount of time she’s given. She’s the mastermind of entertainment. 

The brilliant Fire witch approaches me from behind, standing beside me atop the grand staircase to stare at the festivities below. “Ah~ I love the smell of Christmas in the morning~” she croons, inhaling deeply as if she can ‘smell Christmas.’

Rolling my eyes, I manage a small smile as I cast her an incredulous look. “It isn’t even Christmas yet.”

“It’s only two days away. I wish you’d waited two more days to be born…” she huffs, crossing her arms over her bosom and giggling lightheartedly. 

Holding my hands up in defense, I laugh. “Hey, that wasn’t my choice!”

“Mhmm~ You’re always impatient no matter where you’re going. You’ll probably be the first one at your own funeral, Mr. Show-Up-At-A-Bake-Sale-Three-Days-Early,” she points out, wagging her finger back and forth with every syllable. 

“HEY! I thought it was a rare-armor sale, and you know how long the lines to get into those things are!”

She bursts into laughter, and I can’t help but join into her carefree mirth. Bent over with her arms cradling her stomach, I’m half convinced that she’s going to tumble down the stairs in her raucous fit of laughter. However, I’m not much better as I lean against the railing with my hand pressed against my forehead. 

“Sir, the guests are anxious to speak with you now. I would suggest coming down to greet them instead of socializing with...Miss Fireforge.” The sound of Skeet’s voice breaks me out of my own fit, and I exhale deeply and do my best to qualm my mad giggles. Turning, I see Skeet below us about three steps, eyeing Mariah with the same annoyance he always has. 

“So be it. Thank you,” I sigh. I’ve never like socializing at these events much. Typically, I always stick with Cody and make fun of various guests that have a reputation of doing stupid things while they’re drunk. But as I scan the crowd of familiar faces, I don’t see him anywhere…

It’s not like him to miss out on a party...let alone MY birthday. Perhaps, he got caught up in some trouble with another girl. I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised. 

Mariah follows me down the steps, and we’re greeted at the bottom by a familiar aged face: Merle Ambrose. His tall form no longer towers over mine as it once did, though now that the distance has been closed, the features of his face have become more defined in my eyes. His hooked nose is still long, protruding from his weary countenance like the beak of a stork. Glimmering a bright blue, his fake eye looks like one of the many decorations in the room and aptly matches his same, blue robes adorned with yellow stars. Nevertheless, his timely face still holds the same warmth it always has, and he smiles as he raises his arms to wrap around me with a laugh. 

“Ah, young wizard! It is good to lay my eye on you once more.”

I return his embrace. “It’s good to see you again as well, Headmaster.”

“Oh, don’t you call me that. You know I’m retiring this year,” he chastises as he pulls away and shakes his infamous staff at me. 

“I know, I know. I guess old habits die hard,” I laugh, raising my hand to rub the back of my head. 

“Ah, and Miss Fireforge. It’s...splendid...see you again…” He manages through an obviously forced smile. It’s been no secret through the years that Mariah had earned herself the title of ‘Most Disliked Student in Ravenwood’ in the eyes of Merle Ambrose. The two have never quite gotten along, and I can still remember his disdain when he was nigh forced to allow her to graduate as not even he could deny the skill of her Pyromancy. 

She flashes a cocky grin, hands on her hips as she winks at him and says, “SPLENDID to see you too, old man. Where’s the Old Turkey?”

His smile fades, and a tic forms on his temple. “GAMMA excused himself from today’s attendance to deal with matters in Ravenwood.”

“Oh, well give the Old Turkey my regards, darling,” she giggles, blowing a kiss that I’m sure makes Ambrose’s skin crawl. 

Waltzing past Ambrose, Mariah disappears into the crowd of people to leave the old headmaster pinching the bridge of his nose in his obvious annoyance. “I see that she hasn’t changed much.”

“No,” I agree with a small laugh. “She hasn’t.”

“Ah! Valerian Legendmancer! My greatest Diviner!” I can hear a well-remembered voice call out from the crowd, and a blur of purple and green hops in my direction as a huge grin breaks across my face. 

“Professor!” I call, and the form of Halston Balestrom appears beside the Headmaster. He’s dressed in his usual purple attire, and he takes off his top hat to give a dramatic bow. 

“It’s a pleasure to lay my large eyes on you after so long, my friend!” he cheers. “How have you been? Have you learned much since we last spoke? Oh, you must simply come and visit the school soon. My students would be delighted! Of course, none now could hold a candle to you, but perhaps with a little inspiration they could-”

“Haha, you’re as spry as ever, Professor,” I laugh. He hasn’t changed much either over the years. He’s still as talkative as he’s ever been. 

Merle Ambrose chuckles at the two of us and dips his head. “You know, young wizard, there is always a spot for you to teach at Ravenwood should you ever wish to take the opening.”

“Ah! Headmaster! And what of me?!” Balestrom croaks, a little sweat breaking out on his green skin. 

“Don’t worry, Halston. I’m sure we can find a place for you in the janitorial department.”

“The-the j-janitorial department?!” His already huge eyes seem to grow larger, and he makes an odd ribbit as he holds his chest and falls over in a faint. 

Ambrose and I laugh, and the Headmaster shakes his head at the green Ravenwood Professor. “Always the dramatic one, that one,” he chuckles before turning his attention to something approaching behind me. “Oh, is that Miss Skullsplitter I see?”

Looking over my shoulder, I nod with a small smile as I see Scarlet quickly descending toward us with the largest smile I’ve seen on her face in quite some time. 

“Headmaster Ambrose,” she says fondly, a rosy hue on her cheeks as she stops in front of him and dips her head respectfully. 

“Hello, Miss Skullsplitter. It is always a pleasure to lay eyes on the loveliest Death witch to graduate from Ravenwood,” he sighs, and at that, Scarlet’s blush intensifies as she absently plays with her black gloves. 

“Thank you, Headmaster.”

Ambrose smiles gently before he tilts his head and acknowledges someone else clad in black beside Scarlet. “Oh-ho? And who is this?”

Calamity turns her head away with a scowl, and she inches away from him with her arms crossed defensively. “What’s it to you, old man?”

I wince at her harsh words, and nervously laughing, I glance at Ambrose who seems shocked by her crudeness. “Heh, th-this is Calamity Dragonbane. She’s a guest here for the time being; she’s not overly fond of strangers.”

“Don’t make excuses for me, wizard,” she hisses, an ear flicking and her tail swishing behind her black and gold clad form. 

“Dragonbane? I was familiar with an Agravaine Dragonbane. Is there perhaps any relation to him?” he asks, his grip tight on his staff as he regards the Avalonian warily. I remember Ambrose stating that he was in fact from Avalon once…

Calamity blinks in surprise, and her head abruptly turns toward us again. “You knew my brother?”

“Indeed, he was a very talented knight-in-training when I met him all those years ago. I heard of his fate. I apologize for your loss,” Ambrose consoles, lowering his head in sympathy before continuing. “You must also be a knight then. Your family has always been a proud and loyal one to the Avalonian royalty.”

She nods slowly, sizing up the Headmaster, and I swallow as I subconsciously trace the hilt of my sword with my fingertips. Although I doubt it, I know that she’s more than capable of attacking anyone in the room, especially any wizard like the Headmaster. However, she simply stands there with cool, calculating eyes as a sudden sound washes over the room: an upbeat and merry tune that I haven’t heard before. 

I notice that nearby, magical instruments are lined against the wall and playing themselves, and Mariah darts from the crowd to grab Scarlet’s wrist. “Come on! It’s time to party! Don’t y’all stand there like statues!” she croons, sticking her tongue out at us before she tugs the smaller witch away who promptly stumbles after her with a startled blush. 

Merle clucks his tongue and shakes his head. “Always unpredictable and fiery, that one,” he observes. “Enjoy the rest of your birthday, young wizard.”

“Thank you, Headmaster,” I say with a slight nod as the older wizard walks off. 

Simultaneously, Halston groans as he holds his head and sits up. “Uhhh...what a nightmare…”

I let out a laugh, watching as my old Professor gets to his feet and mumbles something about water as he groggily trudges toward one of the refreshment tables lines along the wall. Sighing, I relax as I take in the sight of the extensive party before me. Banners saying ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘Party!’ are strung along the ceiling along with various Christmas lights illuminating the space with their brilliant reds, greens, and whites. People from my past, be they former students of Ravenwood or people that I’ve helped along my journey, are gathered in the center, dancing to the lively music and unaware of any troubles they may have beyond the wintery storm raging outside. 

Looking to my side, I notice that Calamity hasn’t moved from her spot, feet rooted to the bottom step of the staircase and arms crossed. The lights above seem to bring out a sparkle in her eyes that I haven’t noticed ever, and it’s become apparent for the first time how vividly green they are. It’s a dark green...like the leaves on pine trees, and thus her eyes sharply contrast the red of her fur. My own gaze is pulled down her form, admiring every inch that I haven’t quite appreciated before. 

Why? Why now? Perhaps it’s the setting of the room...the way the lights are casted on her just the right way, or perhaps it’s just the close proximity to her that hasn’t involved any hate or bickering. 

I’ve been noticing how differently she seems after our talk two days ago...In a way, it’s almost like some sort of air has been cut between us...the tension dissolving into something much...harder to describe. 

She seems to notice my stare, and those green eyes narrow as she snickers at me. “What are you looking at?”

“Oh..um...nothing. I just noticed Merryweather made you another outfit. It...suits you…” I manage, looking away toward one of the tables lined with different colored boxes dedicated to yours truly. 

I can hear her tssk, and I can imagine the rolling of her eyes as she shakes her head. “Whatever. At least it’s something.”

An awkward silence settles between us, and I garner the courage to glance out of the corner of my eye back toward her. Head lowered, she’s staring at her boots with ears pointed in the direction of the instrument. I notice her tapping, and the knowledge of what she told me during our discussion earlier this week returns. A smirk starts to grow on my face, and I take a side step in her direction.    
“Soooo….Calamity...We have plenty of instruments...but we’re still missing one key component of our band,” I begin, looking toward the ceiling innocently as I can feel her heated glare. 

“That’s unfortunate.”

“Mhmm...And I seem to remember that someone said that they could sing…” 

I look at just the right moment to notice her wide-eyed expression that quickly broke into a snarl. “No.”

“Ummm….yes? Pleeeeaaaassseeee? It’s my BIRTHDAY,” I whine, curling my bottom lip in a pout as I inch closer. 

She takes a step back, flattening her ears and raising her hackles. “I don’t give a flying troll, wizard.”

“Wizard? I thought we were past that, Calamity. It’s Valerian. I know you know that.”

“I still don’t care,” she huffs. 

As I take one more step forward, she gaze up at me as I stand nearly a head taller than her. Smiling down at her, I raise a single brow. “Then, if you don’t sing, will you at least dance?”

“I can’t dance,” she excuses, looking away from me toward the crowd. 

“That is a flat out lie. I know it is. You said you danced with your brother, so you must have SOME experience,” I point out, my grin widening as I can see from her face that she’s starting to get backed into a corner. 

“Tssk, whatever. I still wouldn’t touch you unless it was with the tip of my blade, VALERIAN,” she hisses, glaring at me defensively out of the corner of her death-inducing gaze. 

“Just one, and I won’t speak to you for the rest of the night. Is that a deal?” 

I know she’s given in when she lets out a deep sigh and closes her eyes, shoulders relaxing as her arms drop to her sides. “Fine. As long as you keep to your word that you leave me be from the moment the dance ends.”

“I swear it on my own life,” I chuckle, using my finger to cross over my heart before stepping back and offering her my arm. Victory has always tasted sweet. 

Xxx

***Calamity’s POV***

THAT STUPID WIZARD! 

He’s persistent; I’ll give him that much. I’m not quite sure what’s gotten into him. He’s gone from staring at me to pestering me to dance with him. 

As I reluctantly touched his arm and stepped into the hoard of strangers, that strange feeling of dread was still swimming inside my gut...my instinct tickling my heels and begging them to run...run as quickly as possible. 

I swallowed nervously, refusing to make eye contact with the Storm wizard as I faced him and stared at our feet. 

“Hey, what happened to that fiery attitude?” 

I snapped my gaze upward to glare at Valerian, anger clouding out the growing sense of danger. “What the hell do you mean by that?”

Valerian only laughed, rubbing the back of his head as he shrugged. “Nevermind, I guess.”

Shaking my head, my left ear twitched at the sound of the song changing to something slower and more classical. It’s something I’m far from used to. The lute playing, the drunken swearing amongst the laughter, the smell of butterbeer, apple cider, burning wood, and sweat--these are the things I’m used to. However, now I’m surrounded by the sounds of an orchestra and lucid laughter, the smell of pine and peppermint, and glittering of strung lights in the place of the flickering flames of a nearby fire. 

I feel so...out of place…

I feel...the strongest sensation of homesickness I’ve felt in the entirety of my stay here. 

“Calamity...Are you all right?” 

Valerian’s voice snaps me from my thoughts, and I put on my ‘fiery attitude’ once more. 

“Yeah, I’m just peachy. Let’s get this over with.”

Forcibly, I grab his hand and put it behind me to press between my shoulder blades, and my other paw grabs his hand as I take a step closer to him. My nose twitches at his smell...something akin to a mix between rain and burnt toast. This is the closest we’ve been since our battle, and I can feel my skin crawling beneath my fur. 

He manages a small smile, and takes a step forward…

That’s how it starts…

Music has always had a hold over me...Sending me into a trance, and likewise, making my feet move to their own accord. This time is no exception. 

Bodies pressed together, our feet move in time with the music and silently seem to float over the surface of the ground beneath us. There’s no communication between the two of us, no words said, but there doesn’t need to be. Eyes locked, it’s as if we seem to know what the other is thinking, and thus compensate for it with every movement we make. 

However, even in this trance, I can still feel that danger growing, starting to reach a paramount of panic. Something is wrong...something dreadfully wrong…

There’s a dark presence that seems to loom over the room, and the feeling of impending doom breaks my trance completely and severs whatever connection might have formed between the two of us as I stumble and step on his foot. Valerian winces, and I stop as I break away from his hold and wildly gaze around the room. My chest is heaving, heart pounding in my chest as I begin to shake. I can smell...fire...something burning…

“Calamity? What’s wrong?” 

I can feel his touch on my bicep, and I snap my arm away as I march through the crowd toward the stairs. I need to leave--lock myself in a room for the rest of the night if I have to. Something. Is. Wrong.

Valerian’s voice falls into the backdrop, a certain ringing filling my ears as the room begins to spin. Something compels me to look up toward the top of the stairs, and on the left pillar at the top of the bannister, I see something...or rather someone...that sends chills down my spine. 

Reynard flashes a wide, Cheshire grin as waves at me and stands on the pillar. 

“Oh, hello there. Long time no see. Have you been having fun playing with your captor, traitor?” he chuckles, something dark and menacing in his tone that I’ve never quite picked up on before. 

“Reynard...What are…?” I begin, blinking in surprise and cutting myself off as my blood runs cold, watching as he strings his bow with a flaming arrow and points it in my direction. Flicking my gaze toward where that anti-magic band was supposed to be, I realize with growing horror that it’s gone. 

“Oh, just solidifying my role with some old friends…” A mad cackle falls from his lips as he lets the arrow fly.

“CALAMITY!” A force knocks into me, throwing me against the stairs and weight pressing on me from above. 

It takes me only a few seconds to realize that Valerian was the one who tackled me, pushing me out of the line of the arrow.

Iit takes a shorter amount of time to realize that the arrow was never intended for me. 

And...it takes only half a second to make out the form of Merle Ambrose lying on the ground at the bottom of the stairs in a growing pool of blood...an arrow pierced through his head:

[I]Dead.

All I could hear after that were the sounds of tortured screams and a madman’s laughter.


	14. Fight

Everything was like a nightmare replaying in slow motion...the screaming nothing more than white noise and the smell of fire nothing but the ever-present aroma in a kitchen.

All eyes watch the figure approaching through the doors at the top of the steps, hands sarcastically clapping together as a man with curved horns protruding from his white-haired head smirks in sharp contrast to the horrified room around him. A small chuckle falls from his lips, and he inhales deeply as if smelling a freshly-baked pie. 

“Ah, I love the smell of terror at a party; livens up the place a little bit, now doesn’t it?” 

A chill runs through my bones, and I can literally FEEL the aura of evil surrounding him, falling upon us in a thick miasma of melancholy and hate. Even the presence of Valerian still hovering over me as I lay dumbstruck on the stairs, staring up at this strange newcomer, is completely irrelevant. I don’t care. 

This man…

This man is evil…

“Oooh~ Valerian~! How good to see you again,” he laughs, flashing a toothy grin as his lavender gaze falls on the Storm wizard. 

Valerian’s expression hardens, and his entire body tenses. “Valkoor…” he hisses through clenched teeth, his hands balled into fists and body starting to tremble. I think he can feel the evil too…

“Hmm? Why do you look so unhappy to see me? I mean, after all I’ve gone through to give you the greatest birthday gift one could bestow upon the Savior..?” This evil man curls his bottom lip, faking a pout. 

My ear twitches at the sound of shuffling, and I look under Valerian toward the grand doors leading outside to see the hesitant and cautious movement of the several present guests toward the exit, hoping to scramble out before they can’t. 

“Oh? Leaving, are we? You’re all such rude guests. Stay awhile. Warm yourselves by the fire,” he chuckles, eyes narrowing knowingly as a loud “SQUAWK!” resounds through the hall. All eyes fall upon the flash of red from above, and I can made out the form of Felix before a wall of fire explodes in front of the doors, effectively trapping us all inside. 

Valerian lets out a faint hiss, standing up and stepping away from me as he takes one step toward this ‘Valkoor.’ “This is lunacy! Stop this NOW!” At his final shout, his amethyst eyes gain an eerie glow to them, sparks beginning to dance among his fingers and a strange yellow orb appearing at his side. 

“Mmm...and if I don’t? What are you going to do about it, Sparky?” 

It’s a taunt. That much I can see, but that stupid wizard falls for it anyway.

Charging with a shout of fury, he makes it three steps as one of the yellow orbs dancing around him flashed in a brilliant light and consequently, a blue and yellow snake coils around the space surrounding Valerian’s arm before shooting out toward Valkoor with fangs bared. 

Valkoor only smirks, unmoving as the snake hurtles toward him, and a flash of red and steel catches my eye just a moment before the snake would have reached the taunter. 

A man in star-patterned clothing now stands with a strange weapon, the snake beheaded and falling to the ground only to disappear in an outburst of sparks. 

There’s an air of danger surrounding this new presence… He’s tall...lean...and holds himself with a certain dignity that’s almost intimidating. However, above all else, it’s the way his crimson hair falls over his eyes, creating a dark shadow and thus obscuring his gaze…hiding away where he may be looking or what he may be thinking--a dangerous unpredictability. 

My eyes follow the long handle of his weapon, and I recall my brother explaining what it is in the back of my mind. A halberd--the unholy offspring of a battle axe, a spear, and a hook--is gripped tightly in the man’s hand, and I know that no simple person could handle one with such ease. 

I now know why that Valkoor wasn’t phased by Valerian’s charge. I didn’t even see that man...there was no warning...None...It was as if he was a ghost. That speed and precision is enough to make my heart stutter in fear, and the knowledge comes over me that it is likely that there is more than just this red-headed demon. 

Valerian is frozen on the stairs, staring at this newcomer in shock before his expression hardens. He doesn’t say a word as Valkoor laughs and gestures to the man. 

“Ah, I see you remember Mason. I know that after all these years, he’s looking for some revenge against that little black-haired friend of yours. Vanessa was her name, wasn’t it? Is she here today, or is she off hiding like a coward in those snowy mountains of hers?”

“I think we’ll be enough to entertain him this time, Horn-Boy,” a familiar voice says, and I glance over my shoulder to see Mariah standing at the bottom of the steps, nonchalantly tossing a dagger into the air repeatedly. Beside her stands Scarlet, the Death Wizard grasping her long-handled scythe. The blade hovers over the ground in front of her, and I notice the symbols decorating the black handle, spelling out different enchantments in writing I can’t quite read. Her scythe seems far too big and heavy for someone of her size to be casually swinging about, but I’ve already been on the receiving end of her weapon to know the hidden deadliness in that tiny form.

Angel steps from the crowd, machete in hand and same stoic expression on his face as he pinches the brow of his long-brimmed fedora and speaks. “I would calculate the success of a match now to be a solid 70%. I’d advise against further action, cult-scum…” 

The Balance wizard throws something in Valerian’s direction, and I don’t recognize it until it lands safely in Valerian’s hands… Unsheathing his newly acquired weapon, the Sword of Kings gleams in his right hand, and he drops his sheathe on the ground as he points the tip of his blade toward the horned man at the top of the stairs. 

“I’m not afraid of you,” he says flatly, his tone dropping dangerously low. 

Valkoor only smirks, and my ears flatten as forms come forth from the shadow, greatly outnumbering the four wizards on the stairs. They line along the wrapping pathway around the hall, staring down at all of us in a sadistic delight. The dread I had been feeling during the dance...it’s stronger than ever now. 

A man dressed in Krokotopian gear with silver hair cackles as he takes his place beside the leader and held duel battle axes. Flashing a crazed grin, he looks at the horrified faces of the party-goers inching away from the wall of fire behind them. “I look forward to hacking all of you up into tiny little pieces~”

“I’d like to see you try,” Valerian hisses, lunging forward again at the group with his team following close behind. I stumble to my feet, trying to back away from the group as a dagger flies by me, thrown from the hand of Mariah, and imbeds itself into one of the shoulders of the men on the balcony. He falls over the bannister to the ground as the Sword of Kings collides with the staff of Valkoor, the two having a power struggle as their heels dig into the carpet. Scarlet’s scythe slices through the air, hooking itself with Mason’s halberd as the two swing their heavy weapons at each other relentlessly in the vain hope that one or the other might be able to land a hit. 

I trip down the stairs as I duck Angel’s jump onto the railing, the Balance wizard racing up the smooth wood to jump and sidekick the dual-wielding wizard beside Valkoor, sending him staggering backwards in shock. 

Several others from the crowd race toward the enemies above, knowing that their only exit from the burning hall now is through them. 

Smoke begins to fill my nose, and my heart tightens as I see the wall of fire climbing toward the ceiling behind me. We’re trapped...If only I had a weapon…

I can make out the sight of Mariah nearby, standing with one arm raised, palm toward the enemies on the bannister. Those yellow orbs are dancing around at her feet now, and a faint and eerie glow seems to shine from beneath her lashes as her lips mumble something strange. As more of the pips gather, the stronger the air seems to become. I can smell sulfur and fire strongly emanating from her, something thicker than the smoke behind me. 

A yell of fury grabs my attention, and I can make out the sight of Valkoor and Valerian sparring against each other at the top of the steps. The sound of metal against metal reverberates in my ears, and the smug look on the horned stranger’s face has mellowed into a scowl of determination. Neither can get the upper hand on the other, and frustration has taken hold. 

Valerian ducks under a swipe of the other’s staff before lunging forward to stab at the other’s midsection. He sidesteps, dodging the Storm wizard’s attack by only a fraction, his robe tearing as the blade barely manages to catch the side of it. Not expecting his dodge, Valerian stumble forward, leaving an opening for his opponent who swings his staff downward to catch him off-guard. 

Holding up his hand, a strange barrier protects Valerian from the strike, but he is thrown backward from the recoil, and he tumbles down the stairs, barely managing to right himself and steady on his feet. Their teeth both bared, they simultaneously raise their palms to one another, and shout as their eyes glow brilliant black and opposing amethyst. 

“Deer Knight!”

“Catalan!”

A deer skeleton dressed in knight’s armor appears in front of Valkoor, huffing as it stands tall beside its battle axe, facing down a small, blue dragon giving off sparks as it hisses at the deer. They charge at one another, the dragon snapping at the deer that swings its axe toward the blue wings. Likewise, their casters charge at one another again, ensuing in a great battle between the four. 

I look around, watching as creatures are summoned left and right. Imps and bats battle in the sky above, fire birds rage against little vampires, a Kraken is dueling with a Centaur, and little tiny gnomes race up the stairs in a frenzy, eyes alight with a brilliant green. 

Scarlet has apparently abandoned her fight with Mason, a cut across her left cheek and blood dripping down the side of her face as she stands near Mariah and swings her scythe ferociously at any enemies trying to reach the red witch. The Fire witch’s chanting has escalated in volume, a strange red symbol appearing at her feet as the pips around her gather in numbers and increase in their bright intensity. An amulet around her neck glows a vibrant color, and tiny symbols dance around her in the air. They’re mist like, almost unidentifiable, but upon close inspection, I can make out the shape of blades, and I know almost immediately that they’re charms to boost the power of the creature she is trying to summon. 

Angel is running along the bannister, duelling all his opponents as if they were flies, his movements graceful and almost unearthly. He shouldn’t be winning with just a measly machete, but as he blocks and stuns his enemies, a giant scorpion leaps from behind to tackle them. I can’t see what happens next, but I doubt that I really must. 

He looks over his shoulder, blue hair sticking to his head from the sweat that drips from his nose. I too am uncomfortable from the rising heat in the room, the fire behind us turning into a raging inferno that pushes us closer to the stairs. 

“MARIAH! NOW!”

Mariah cracks open her eyes, her green eyes glowing with a reddish-gold glint around them as she mutters,

“Fire Dragon.”

The ground shakes beneath all of us, and I grab onto a nearby table to steady myself as a dreadful roar fills the hall and stills the enemies above with horror. With a WOOSH! the inferno behind me seems to explode as a massive form flies from it and lands in the center of the room with another might roar, tilting its head back and spreading its wings as fire falls from the tips of the massive appendages and onto the ground, spreading the flames beneath it. As it looks toward its enemies with bright gold eyes, its tongue flicks out as if smelling the fear in the room. 

Mariah grins and launches herself toward the others, her hands full of daggers as the dragon rears onto its back two feets and inhales. An elderly fairy woman clad in blue is murmuring something, and strange symbols seem to gather around Valerian’s team and those originally part of the party before it was interrupted. One starts to circle me, and I frown as I touch it, the misty pattern breaking between my fingertips only to gather once again on the other side. 

What...is this?

My thoughts are short lived as screams break throughout the opposing forces, and they all scramble to run away from the dragon who lets out a billowing mass of fire into the crowd. Strange domes appear over those of us who have the strange symbols, and I blink in surprise, watching as the flames seem to deflect feet away from me, never even coming close. However, I can still feel the heat of the blazing inferno, and my tongue lolls out of the side of my mouth even as I watch Valkoor dodge one of Valerian’s attack and then hold up his hand as a similar dome deflects the fire away from him. The horned wizard, occupied with his defense, narrowly dodges one of Angel’s surprise attacks. 

Machete coming from nowhere, it glances over the wizard’s face, blood running down the right side of Valkoor’s countenance to blind his eye. He lets out a hiss, and Angel bares his teeth as he puts an elbow to the wizard’s face and knocks his feet out from under him. Valkoor rolls down the stairs in my direction, ending at the bottom with his lower half still on the stairs and his hands outstretched to the body of the late Merle Ambrose. The room goes still, the fighting ceasing and the magical creatures likewise disappear as all eyes fall on the defeated leader at the bottom, surrounded by blood and flickering flames. 

Valerian says something Angel, the blue haired wizard nodding in response before stepping aside for the shorter of the two to slowly descend the staircase. 

“Valkoor Ashblood...this should have ended years ago…” he hisses, gripping the Sword of Kings tighter as the blade drags along the carpeted stairs. The flames reflected in his amethyst gaze add to the intense anger held within, and it sends chills through me. I stand frozen only ten feet from Merle Ambrose, unsure of what to do. This entire time I have felt entirely helpless...unarmed and in a fight filled with magic I have no defense against. There’s nothing I can do…

“Heh...I agree…” Valkoor hums as he tries to get up, but Valerian kicks him in the side of the head cruelly, sending him sprawled in the pool of drying blood before kicking away his staff.   
Valerian snickers, glaring down at him. “Why the hell did you come back?”

“Because...a little birdy convinced me to…” he chuckles, laughter falling from his lips as I hear Mariah’s gasp.

“VALERIAN!”

The Storm wizard turns too late, and I watch as the red haired demon from before raises his hand and coldly says, “Stun.”

A furious hiss fills my ears as Valerian’s body stiffens, and even as Scarlet races toward Mason and raises her scythe above her head for the finishing strike, none of us are prepared for the sickening sight of Ambrose’s staff pressed against Valerian’s back...blue energy gathering before it rips through the young wizard’s body, coming through his torso in a spray of red only for Valerian to consequently crumple to the ground with a dead weight. 

The Sword of Kings clanks against the ground just as Mason’s halberd deflects Scarlet’s scythe and he shoots a blast of Ice magic that sends her into a nearby stone wall. She lays against the wall, her head limp over her chest with her massive blade lying on the ground beside her. 

Mariah lets out a yowl of fury, blades flying in Mason’s direction that is soon deflected by the dual axes of that silver-haired wizard who chuckles at her attempt. 

Angel races down the stairs, sliding down the bannister as he attempts to kick at Valkoor with the most emotion I have ever seen on his face, but the newly acquired staff strikes his side, and Angel skips along the ground before rolling onto his stomach. 

Maniacal laughter reaches my ears as Valkoor watches Valerian start to crawl away, blood pooling beneath him as he chokes on the red substance. Stepping on his back, he holds the staff to the back of the Storm wizard’s hear with a grin. “I remember this very well...When was the last time I was in this position? Oh yes...I believe that was when I killed that blonde-headed friend of yours. Cody, was his name right? His screams were like music to my ears.”

Mariah fumbles with her daggers, tears gathering in her eyes at the news, and she lets out a scream as one of the silver-haired man’s axes sink into her left arm before she falls to the ground. 

“Co...dy...You kill...ed Cody…?” I can hear the pain and grief in Valerian’s voice, and I recall that name...wasn’t that the name of his best friend? Watching the scene play out, I see the glint of the Sword of Kings nearby…

“Ah...yes...The fool wouldn’t tell us where you were hiding, but he sang like a bird once we…’loosened him up’ a bit,” Valkoor laughs, and I can see his shoulders shaking with mirth as I slowly make my way toward them, my body hunched over and hand creeping toward the bloodied hilt. 

“Y...You…****ing….*******...” Resting his head on the ground, Valerian seems to run out of strength as he stops moving, shaking with both agony and loss. 

“Hmm...Don’t worry...You’ll all be reunited soon enough…” the horned wizard croons as the energy in the staff starts to gather again. “Well, minus one…”

“Not today, *****.”

Valkoor turns around as I swing the massive sword diagonally, ripping through his clothing and blood spraying from the wound while he stumbles backward in surprise. Mason turns his head toward me, and I can see the glint of his eyes beneath the red bangs before he starts toward me. Preparing to block his attack, the whole castle begins to shake. 

We all try to steady ourselves, looking around as we try to discern the causing of the trembling before a loud crash deafens us all. Cold rushes in toward us as the front of the hall collapses in on itself, exposing us to the outside world. 

Moonlight casting down on us, we all look in amazement as a loud trumpet-like sound fills the night air and we follow the large trunk-like legs of a Wooly Mammoth. It’s massive form towers over us all, blue eyes furious and rooting us all to the spot in both surprise and pure fear. The way the moon shines off the icy-tipped, white fur of the gargantuan beast adds a mystical aura to it, but even as I follow the curved tusks to the stern face of this intimidating creature, a dark silhouette completes this fear-inducing picture. 

She’s standing there, cold, blue eyes staring us all down with a indifference cold enough to match the snow that has rushed in, quelling most of the fire in the hall. Those eyes...the way she’s looking at us (or more looking through us) is a spell within itself, stunning us with their vivacious intensity. Clad in a blue and gold cloaked doublet, her long, black hair sways in the wind behind her and catches the eerie blue light in the wispy tendrils of her tresses, adding to this fearsome visage and turning her from just a figure into a nigh ghostly spectre. Pale face pointed at us, I can make out the sight of a strange-looking bow...the bow’s edges serrated blades that could likely tear through anything she set her mind to, and the way she holds herself speaks nothing of a unmatched power that I can almost feel in my bones, muscles weak and already submitting to this awe-inspiring strength. 

Out of the corner of my eye, Mason and several other members of this alleged cult begin to take steps back…having given up on their attacks and their mouths agape and grips trembling as their weapons threaten to fall from their hands and onto the floor...and I can make out the cocky, yet pained smirk of Mariah holding her arm as she stands to look at this newcomer. 

What sort of witch could put this kind of terror into such skilled warriors? 

Thoughts race through my head left and right, and my gaze is locked solely on that witch standing upon the tusk of her behemoth. As Valkoor turns on his side and goes wide eyed at the sight of this witch, my thoughts begin to dwindle into one simple question.

[I]Who is she?


	15. Climaclysm

Heart beating in my chest, I hold my breath as the tension seems to weigh down on us like the weight of that mammoth. It’s so silent that the only sound in our ears are the moans of the fallen and the breathing of the large mammal standing before us. 

Finally, the woman standing on one of the mighty tusks draws an arrow and speaks aloud. “To those of you who do not wish to die,” she begins with a cold expression, “I suggest you leave.”

Several of the trapped party-goers from before start to scramble toward the totaled entrance, clammering over the rubble and past the towering wooly mammoth staring at their petite and irrelevant forms with the same nonchalance as its rider. 

Murmurs go throughout the crowd of the minions under Valkoor, and I can barely make out their words. 

“It’s the Yuki-onna…”

“The Legendary Blades of Frozen Tears…”

“The Master of Shadow…”

“The Undefeated Champion of Ice…”

The man with the silver hair snickers, walking away from the injured Mariah as he swings one of his axes around carelessly. “We’re not losing to you again, *****,” he hisses, pointing one of his curved blades in her direction. 

Several members nod their heads in agreement as the hall empties of innocent party-goers and leaves this group, Valerian’s team, a few others (including that frog man from earlier), and myself. My feet itch to follow them into the snowy lands outside...to run from this blood bath before the battle rages on again...but something ties me to this spot...freezing me...forbidding me to move. 

My grip tightens on the handle of the Sword of Kings, and I swallow as I look to my right to the body of Valerian Legendmancer, face down on the ground and unconscious. I guess the blood loss was too much for him…

An unfamiliar feeling seems to swim in my gut as I look at his limp form, and I raise my gaze to Mariah who is leaning against one of the many pillars in the room and clutching her arm. The right side of her face is splattered with a crimson much darker than her red coat or flaming orange hair, and the same blood is dripping onto the ground beneath her, welling up and slipping between her fingers. I can’t quite see the extent of the damage, but based on the dark circles already forming beneath her eyes and the fading color in her skin, I would presume that it isn’t just a scratch. Behind her, Scarlet is still slumped against the wall, her chin resting on her chest and blood dribbling from her lips as melting ice from Mason’s attack wets her gear. 

A half growl--half moan catches my attention, and I turn my head to Valkoor, gritting his teeth and trying to sit up as he wraps an arm around his bleeding torso. “I knew you’d show up,” he mutters bitterly. 

The cold witch points her arrow toward the wounded Death wizard and replies, “Then...you know your time is up…”

Valkoor visibly swallows, and I can tell that inside he is sweating. Just who is this newcomer? “Heh, not today…Wolf...”

He raises his hand and snaps, and the nearby silver-haired man (Wolf, I presume) breaks out into a crazed grin. “I’ve been waiting for this day a long time, hehe. Prepare to be chopped up into little pieces this time, Snowflake.”

Mason doesn’t say a word, his lips pulled into a grim frown as he stands still beside his leader. There’s an ominous and tense aura surrounding him, and I fight the urge to step back when he casts a side glance at me. However, he only stares, unmoving as if insuring that I won’t make a move toward his wounded friend. 

I notice the looks from some of the other dark wizards at the fallen Storm wizard on the ground, and I can’t help the urge that coaxes me to step forward and stand protectively by his side with sword at the ready. The knowledge that he willingly risked his life earlier when Reynard fired that arrow (regardless of who it was intended for) is something I don’t want someone to hold against me later. For now, we’re even...if we survive…

“You can try…” she murmurs before she launches herself forward up the tusk and jumps as the mammoth rears on its back legs and lets out a deafening trumpet. Her boots kick off the tip of the ivory tusks, and an arrow lets loose through the air to land its mark in one of the charging wizards below. Rapid fire arrows soon follow suit as she bend backward in the air, her blue and white cape and long, raven hair fluttering about. Each landed their mark with expert precision, bodies hitting the floor in quick succession. 

Never in all my years have I seen a knight be able to use a bow with such deadly accuracy and ease. As her graceful form finally lands squarely on the ground, she draws yet another arrow and starts firing at all those now making a beeline for the deadly archer. One by one, they all fall limp at her feet, and Wolf sneers as he runs the blades of his dual axes together before charging at her. 

She catches his movement in the corner of her eye and turns on her heel to let loose an arrow aimed for his head. The Krokotopian-geared wizard only grins, slashing the arrow in half just millimeters from his rounded nose. Brows furrowing, she takes a few steps backward as she continually fires arrows only for his blades to slash through them, and he steadily makes progress toward her. Finally seeing an opening, he races forward and manages a swing toward her middle with his left axe which she blocks with her bow only to narrowly dodge the swing from his second blade. The two parry against one another, the Ice witch always staying one blow ahead of the other. 

The grin that was plastered on Wolf’s face has now disappeared into a scowl of frustration in sharp contrast to the calm, collected expression still plastered onto the archer. I can tell he’s getting frustrated. Naturally, one would assume that an archer would lack in melee skills, but I haven’t seen that level of skill since my brother was alive. It makes my mouth dry, and my focus is completely lost on the battle, hardly aware of my surroundings. 

She’s a raven-haired angel, nigh dancing on the battlefield and not so much as getting a scratch even under the stress of Wolf’s crazed attacks. His wide blade slashes through the air, and she leans backward as it whistles just above her nose. The second comes toward her torso, and without a second of hesitation, the Ice witch back flips over it and manages to land a solid kick across the wizard’s jaw. 

He hisses, stumbling backward as he holds his jaw, and the witch only stares at him coldly, not even bothering to draw another arrow as I’m sure she’s figured out by this point that there’s no point. 

“Are you done playing, Vanessa..?” 

All attention is drawn to Mason, pointing his halberd at this ‘Vanessa,’ and I can make out the slightest gleam of blue beneath his hooded gaze. The Ice witch’s focus is thrown solely to him, and her expression goes from calm to grim in a matter of milliseconds as she nocks another arrow without a second thought. 

“This is my fight, Mason!” Wolf hisses, slashing his axe through the air to further accentuate his point. 

I can’t see his eyes, but the way he holds himself is enough to send chills through me. Likewise, I can see Wolf tensing as Mason’s glare finds him, and he lets out a huff in both annoyance and submission. “Whatever…” he mutters, flipping him off as he walks away and then rests his gaze on me with a smirk. “I’ll entertain myself another way.”

Like hell he will!

Growling, I flatten my ear as I raise my sword toward him. 

“Oooh~ Scary~” he croons, swinging an axe about flamboyantly as he approaches me. Simultaneously, I can make out the form of Mason and Vanessa circling each other, their gazes locked and already in a silent, mental duel. 

My hackles raise of their own volition, and I find myself stepping backward and to the side away from Valerian. “Don’t touch me, wizard scum.”

“Hmm? Wizard scum?” he pauses in his advance, smirking with intrigue as he looks to me and then to Valerian’s prone form on the ground. The incapacitated Storm wizard groans, cracking open an eye as his amethyst gaze rests on me...almost like he had heard what I had said. “If you think that, then do us all a favor and kill him~”

“What honor would that bring me, killing a helpless creature...regardless of how disgusting it really is?” I sneer, still holding the Sword of Kings at the ready. This wizard is the most unpredictable I have ever come across. 

“Oh, you Avalonians and honor~ You’re such a difficult folk…” he laughs, rolling his eyes as he relaxes and walks toward Valerian. “Then, if you won’t, you shouldn’t have a problem with me killing him myself.”

He strides forward, humming with delight and great mirth in his eyes that seems to reflect off the bloodied surface of his axe as he raises it above his head. I can make out Valerian’s pleading gaze, his hand twitching...and I can almost feel the fear in those eyes...

My feet are frozen in place. This is what I’ve wanted...I’ve wanted him to die...but...something is nagging at me...I shouldn’t allow this to happen. Something is telling me: don’t let him die. But why? Why shouldn’t I? This is the wizard who ruined my life…He took EVERYTHING from me...And yet...I’m tempted to take that short rush forward and block that swing…

But I don’t…

DING~!

An arrow ricochets off the side of the axe, gaining the attention of both Wolf and me. A cape flutters behind her, ripped by the swing of a halberd as Vanessa moves at improbable speed toward the Death wizard. Her teeth are bared in an expression that nearly stops my heart, and the dreadful scream that follows next will likely forever haunt me. 

Coughing up blood, Wolf leans over Vanessa’s form, his axes clattering upon the ground as he holds onto her and looks forward at me in shock. An arrow plunged upward from his abdomen to his chest gleams with his own crimson, and ice spreading over the wound as his lips turn blue faster than I can count the seconds, I hardly notice Mason’s movements as the spear of a halberd cuts through the air and toward Vanessa. 

I don’t remember moving. I don’t remember what possessed me. I don’t remember deflecting the strike with my own blade and catching the Ice wizard off guard enough to land a punch in the face that sends him reeling backward clutching his nose. 

Wolf lets out a sickening gag as Vanessa pulls the arrow from him and lets him fall to the ground. “Thank you…” is all she murmurs before she looses the bloodied arrow and points it toward the stunned Mason. 

He tssks, smearing blood across his face as he tries to wipe it off with his sleeve. Readying his halberd again, his words have become a growl. “I will beat you this time…” 

“Gonna have to wait until next time, sweetheart~” 

Looking past him, I can make out the grinning form of Mariah standing behind him and flirtatiously waving with her fingertips. She seems perfectly fine now, the blood drying on her sleeve but otherwise seemingly unharmed as if the blow from earlier had never happened. Beside her stands the form of Scarlet, her sleeves ripped open and bleeding whilst she brandished her scythe with ease. 

The frog man and the little, old, and white fairy from earlier joins them, and the man leans against his cane with a tiny, noticeable smile. “Ah, you’re game is up, good sir.”

“I should have put an end to this when you were in my class, young wizard,” speaks the fairy solemnly yet sternly as if aware of what she must do. 

Mason tenses, suddenly aware that he is one of the few of his allies still standing and he’s surrounded. Mariah only smiles, patting the trunk of the seemingly friendly wooly mammoth. “You’re not escaping this time, Mason. Not you, or any of this stupid cult.”

[I]Clap.

[I]Clap.

[I]Clap.

“How quaint…You think you’ve got us beat…” 

All eyes wander up the scorched and steaming staircase where Valkoor has seemingly returned to his previous position as if nothing had ever happened to him. Even his ripped open shirt is patched anew, and a dark shadow seems to loom over him as he speaks. “But HE won’t have that…”

He? Who is He? How...this god damn magic thing is getting on my nerves. Do wizards ever die? Was it pointless to try and kill that stupid bastard?

I look toward Valerian, apparently unconscious once more as his face has turned the color of his hair, his breathing slow and shallow. 

Perhaps not…

“You thought you were so clever, little fox...I admit, you caught me off guard...but it’s going to take much more than that to kill me,” he chuckles, looking at me as if I am an inconsequential child. 

I can feel my cheeks heating, the grip on my sword tightening as I fight the urge to run up the stairs and cut out his tongue. Looking over all of us, he spins the Headmaster’s staff around as he admires it with a warm expression. “Ah...you know...they say that the Headmaster’s staff allows you to cast the spells of all schools...The ultimate power...The power to rule the spiral...and that stupid old man made a school...How...utterly lame, haha!!!”

He lets out a sigh, looking at the tiny crowd with a look of near nostalgia...a look one gets when looking at an old family photo. “It was fun sparring with all of you, but I’ve quite lost my patience with this little game. Now, could you all do me a favor and die?”

My eyes widen as I make out the sight of the pips gathering at his feet, and I lose my balance as the ground begins to tremble, the castle crumbling and ground starting to split apart from the magnitude. Stomach lurching, my claws dig into the burnt carpet as I squeeze my eyes closed, the building toppling all around me. 

Behind me, I can hear the roar of a strange creature, and as I dare to look over my shoulder through the intense shaking, I can see a green beast gliding down the stairs. It’s long, spiked tail swings behind it with every step. Several inch claws digging into the steps, cracking the stone with its weight and grip, it leers at me, shaking its fin-crowned head as it bares its drippings fangs with a hiss. 

I’m going to die here.

The knowledge of that begins to sink as all around me, people are gripping the ground in an attempt to keep from rolling into the growing crevice in the middle of the hall. It’s a sickening thought, leaving a sour taste in my mouth as I fight the urge to vomit, my whole body becoming sick from the convulsions of the earth. 

“O, veter i led. Day mne sily, chtoby zamorozit' tvoikh vragov. Pokhoronite ikh v kholod, poka ikh dykhaniye bol'she ne nagrevayetsya…” 

Above the noise of the stone crumbling both above and beneath us, I can make out words...someone...someone chanting... 

Cracking open one eye, I can see Vanessa still standing, one arm outstretched as the small yellow orbs gathered around her feet. Behind her, the mammoth towered above, its tusks keeping the remaining ceiling from falling upon us all and sending us to our doom. 

Mason makes a run toward her, halberd pointed toward her chest, but a flash of black obscures my vision for a split second as Scarlet’s scythe cuts through space to block his attack. She holds out her hand for a split second only to say “Dunkle fee.” 

A blast of black magic shoots out from her hand, eventually fading into a small, winged form. It looks like a tiny wizard in a black dress with translucent ebony wings, its ears pointed and dark hair tied into a bun. It giggles as it flies toward Mason, and the red haired wizard snickers, unimpressed as he dodges its attack with ease and cuts through it with his halberd, the creature disappearing in a black smoke as if it had never existed. 

However, he is caught off guard by Mariah’s attack. 

“Heckhound.”

A red hound emerges from a fiery ball shot forth from the Fire wizard, eyes burning with flames as it lets out a howl and charges toward Mason. He barely manages to hold up his hand in time, murmuring something drowned out by the hound’s pants as a dome-shaped energy blocks the hound’s lunging bite. Nevertheless, he is thrown back from the force, stumbling back toward the bottom of the stairs. 

As I follow his path backward, I notice that Valerian’s body was missing, and I blink as I make out Angel carrying the Storm wizard toward the mammoth behind us amidst the chaos. 

“...daruy mne svoyu silu, Climaclysm.” As the words fall from Vanessa’s lips, I can make out the dark, ominous shadows surrounding her, spiraling around her in an almost mass-like cloud of darkness. 

The floor beneath us grows deathly cold, turning into a solid sheet of ice before giant, icy spikes shooting from the ground in front of her toward the stairs. Mason scrambles toward the limp body of Wolf, holding up his hand, and my vision of him is soon obscured by the wall of ice quickly progressing up the stairs. 

“Come on!” Mariah grabs my arm, quickly turning me away from the scene and almost dragging me toward the white and blue creature. I nearly trip over myself to keep up, but I don’t try to fight back. Even if I did, there’s nothing for me here...and I’m powerless to stop them if I tried...I have no defense against their magic...I’ve felt nothing but useless this entire time…

We jump onto the trunk of the beast, and the creature lifts us up to its back with great ease. Scarlet is already there, Valerian’s head in her lap as Angel is busy opening the front of his vest to likely expose the damage to thus assess and fix it if possible. I grimace at the thick amount of crimson, and I can hardly see the almost nonexistent rise and fall of the Storm wizard’s chest. 

It’s then that I see the Burrower nearby with the frog man, the fairy lady, and a few other choice people/creatures I know nothing about. I choose to ignore them for the time being, instead looking over the crown of the mammoth’s head to see Vanessa charging toward us. 

Throwing her bow over her shoulder and waving an arm, she shouts:

[I]“NOW, MORY!”

Jumping onto his trunk and racing up his face toward us, she ducks the tumble of debris as the mammoth trumpets and backs up, allowing the ceiling to fall off its tusks and crash down upon those still left in the hall...likely crushing any bodies left behind...and hopefully...creating new ones…

I let out a sigh of relief as the mammoth turns away, heading in the opposite direction of the mess. 

It’s over...It’s all over…

“Oh by Bartelby…” Mariah’s gasp breaks my thoughts as I look toward the crowd gathering around Valerian, her hands clasped over her mouth as her eyes begin to water. 

[I]“He’s not breathing…”


	16. The Beginning of the End

“DAMMIT! WE WERE SO CLOSE!”

Wolf lets out a furious growl as he slams his mug down atop the fireplace’s mantle. Bare chest wrapped with white bandages, his silver hair stands up in all directions, highlighting the angry and crazed gleam in his dark brown gaze.

A mystery liquid sloshes from his mug, splattering on the mantle and dripping from the edge and into the fire with a hiss. The flames crackle and cast the only light in the room upon the three other figures in the room.

A man in an obsidian doublet is laid out on the couch, elbow propped up on the rest and one knee raised and bent. His free hand is absentmindedly pinching at the fabric of the sofa, and he gazes amusedly at Wolf. Jagged scar running over his left eye from the shaggy fringes of his ebony hair to his cheek line, a milky white film covers over the previously amber pupil and gives him the illusion of dual colored eyes.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it...We succeeded in our goal...The old man is dead and the wizard world knows we’re back,” he states smoothly, half-lidded stare flicking over to girl in a pink nightgown sitting on the arm rest. Her purple hair falls over her shoulder as she combs through it with her fingers, and she turns her head at the man’s words. “Isn’t that right, Jazz?”

She purrs, shrugging as the Storm witch crosses one, white-stocking clad leg over the other. “Mhmm...The wicked old wizard’s dead~ The wicked old wizard’s dead~ Because, because, because, because~ we killed him~ Teehee~” she croons with a merry tune, one hand swaying with the beat.

“But those stupid half-*hic*-wits are running around doing whatever the hell they want, and that stupid bitch stabbed me! I could’ve died!” Wolf snaps, glaring at the two.  
“Oh~ You poor baby~” the man teases, chuckling as he rolls his eyes and sits up.

“Tssk…” the Balance wizard sneers, looking away from the man to raise his mug to his lips again. “Well *hic* whstvr… I’ll kill her even...eve...evet...event…*hic*...soon…”

The man shrugs, closing his eyes as his shoulders meet his ears. “Fine, go ahead and try. But you’ll have to beat ‘you-know-who’ to it,” he warns, wagging his finger before gesturing to the form of Mason nearby.

The Ice wizard is standing beside one of the nearby windows, looking out into the dead woods of Darkmoor silently...brooding… A tense and deadly aura seems to waft from him, and the shadows obscuring his eyes seem to have grown several shades darker than usual.

Against his sober judgement, Wolf only regards Mason for a moment before muttering, “Well, if he hasn’t kille ‘er yet, it’s not like he’s eva *hic* going to…”

The redhead’s head slowly turns toward the three, and the man on the couch only laughs as he stands and throws up his hands. “Your funeral.”

“Shuddap, Brian…” Wolf grumbles, glaring over at the Death wizard, one of the highest ranking and strongest generals the Ministry has ever known, with disdain. “What’s the big deal anyway?”

As Mason turns his head back toward the window, obviously disinterested in getting involved with the injured Balance wizard, Brian Jade only tilts his head with a smile and winks. “That’s a secret~ But rumor has it, this Vanessa chick and Mason go wa~y back. I wouldn’t touch that sexual tension with the tentacles of Khrulhu.”

“Excuse me?” Mason looks away from the window again, annoyance in his tone at Brian’s statement. He takes a step toward him, his presence in the room seeming much larger than before.

Holding up his hands with a nervous laugh, he waves the Ice wizard off. “I’m joking, man. Relax.”

Stepping to be nose-to-nose with the other, Brian can see a flash of crystal blue beneath the mess of red as Mason presses closer. “I would rather you not speak of that witch again...Lest you wish to lose your other eye.”

“Pfft, yur just mad that I’m gonna kill her since you can’t…” Wolf speaks up, snickering at the two as he tries to stand up straight.

Head rearing ‘round to face Wolf, Mason grits his teeth as he steps toe-to-toe with the taller of the two. Flinching at the intense sensation of the Ice wizard’s glare, Wolf takes a single step backward as he braces himself for whatever the unpredictable wizard may do.

Lips pressed into tight scowl, Mason backs Wolf against the wall before his hand slams beside the Balance wizard’s head, causing the taller to flinch and stare stupidly at the other.

[I]“I’d watch that mouth of yours...They say a snow hare that isn’t quiet will always be the first to die…”

Jazz (otherwise known as Jasmine) watches the three with a smirk before the sound of steps garner her attention elsewhere.

From the shadows, Valkoor appears with a stoic countenance, eyes gleaming with interest at the situation he’s walked in to. “I’d hope that we’re saving that killing energy for something more productive--Mason...Wolf...Brian.”

The Ice wizard breaks away from Wolf, the Balance wizard swallowing and stepping farther away from the brooding redhead. “Heh, always Msstr…” he slurs, flashing a faking grin at the horned man.

“Ah, Val, my man! I was beginning to wonder where you’d skedaddled off to!” quips Brian, pointing towards him with ‘gun-hands.’

Sneering at the ravenette, Valkoor rolls his eyes and swipes at the tip of his own nose. “I was speaking with ‘You-Know-Who.’ He’s pleased with the results of our last endeavor...despite the few failures we endured…” He glances over at Mason, who turns his head away with a huff. “Regardless, we’re ready to move on with our plans. Jasmine, please see to it that the mounts are ready for our use.”

Smirking, she nods without a word and slides off of the arm rest to gracefully sashay out of the realm of light. As she disappears into the shadows, Valkoor continues on. “Mason, I trust you know the realm of Polaris well?” Mason nods. “Then I have a special task for you and Brian that requires your expertise...and the abilities of Mr. Jade. The details will be briefed to you in the stables outside. Talk to Alex Soulrider; he knows everything that you do.”

The two glance at each other for a moment before slowly nodding to the leader and obediently walking past him in the same direction as Jasmine.

“And what about me?” Wolf intercedes, brows narrowing as he regards his leader cautiously.

“You’ll stay here and recover until Lilu can return to finish healing your injuries,” instructs the horned leader, turning on his heel with the intention of leaving.

Snarling, the silver-haired wizard takes two steps after the other. “That’s not fair!”

Glancing over his shoulder, Valkoor narrows his eyes at the growling wizard. “I didn’t ask your opinion.”

“Fine,” he mutters, crossing his arms and turning his head away. “Where the hell is she anyway? It’s not often you let ‘The Beast’ out.”

Chuckling quietly, the ivory haired man raises his hand to trace the line of one of his curved horns. “Ah, let’s just say she’s on a special assignment...A test for The Master…”

Xxx

Screams mingle with the thick cloud of smoke billowing from the once bright school of Ravenwood--the putrid scent of blood thick enough to make most anyone think twice about breathing.

A furious roar shakes the very ground beneath the piling bodies on the cobblestone pathways. Standing upon the Fire school with the claws of a steadying hand embedded into the stone archway connecting the school and the adjoining tower, a dark, shaggy haired beast with fearsome curved horns and glowing green eyes bares its fangs, saliva dribbling from the corners of its mouth and a deep growl emitting from its throat. Its eyes focus on the trembling young wizards and witches below, casting whatever spells they could muster in their defense.

“Fire cat!”

A large feline coated in orange-hot flames leaps forth from the cobblestone, throwing itself toward the gigantic beast above only to be swatted away into the nearby stone building like a pesky fly and vanish in a blast of hot embers.

Several of the young teens below begin to back away from the furred beast as it lets out another mighty roar and begins to stand on its legs. Bright green energy forms in its hands, and it jumps down from its perch with a furious snarl, smashing any unfortunate mage unable to move fast enough underfoot. As it brings down one of its green-veiled hands toward the crowd of screams, a delighted laugh falls from the lips of a certain green haired witch watching the carnage from one of the branches of Bartelby.

Cheshire grin plastered to her face, a mad cackle bubbles deep from within as her wide, mirthful eyes shine with great entertainment. The pool of red only grows in the streets of Ravenwood as her faithful beast tears apart all students who dare to oppose it. Then again, they don’t have much of a choice, considering the horror that guarded the only exit gate.

Turning her head toward the gate, she can’t help but giggle at the bearded, winged lion pacing the width of the tunnel as several students try to discern what to do. Meanwhile, a giant, fanged moth casts a shadow above Ravenwood, its many eyes ensuring that no wizard can attempt to fly out of the death prison Lilu had created.

A bright red flash catches her attention near her beast, and her interest only grows as she makes out the blood-splattered form of Dalia Falmea. Her flame-like hair blows in the steady breeze of Ravenwood, and she raises her wand toward the beast with a concentrated scowl as she mutters something under her breath.

In a flash of fire, a trumpet fills all ears present, and a humanoid elephant clad in war armor and carrying a massive, curved blade steps before the horned beast. They are near equal in size, and after a moment of regarding each other, the helephant charges to swing its sword toward the seemingly defenseless lord. With a snarl, the lord dodges the attack only to bring a clawed hand to strike the other’s face, claws marring the brown flesh of the armored creature. It then grabs the arm of the helephant, the other hand reaching for its throat. The helephant lungs forward to strike the horned head with its own, causing the lord to lose its grip with a vehement growl.

Several students begin to cheer the helephant on, starting to summon their own spells in order to support their teacher’s creation. Fire rain upon the beast, and it lets out a furious roar as it tried to defend itself against the onslaught of attacks. Swiping phoenixes from the sky and squishing fire elves underfoot, the beast appears to tire from their offense.

With a snicker, Lilu drops down from the branch and gracefully lands upon the stained ground with a click of her heels. Ignoring the dueling beasts nearby, she reveals herself to the crowd as her hands sarcastically come together in mock clapping.

“My, my~ You actually put up a little bit of a fight. Jolly good show, darlings~” she croons, fluttering her lashes as Dalia narrows her gaze thoughtfully as if the other’s reveal has triggered something deep within her memory.

“You...You did this…” she states...not as a question as she sees the spotless Captain’s uniform donning the green wizard, the black fabric with green trim complementing the emerald and evil gleam in her eyes.

“Hmmm,” she hums, tapping her cheek in pretend thought as the assault on her beast stops ...all wizards’ attention stuck on this newcomer. “I guess you’re right. Oops~ I made a bit of a mess, didn’t I? I thought a bit of...red would spot the old place up a bit...don’t you think?”

Tensing and gripping her wand tighter, the red clad teacher growls. “You monster.”

“Monster? I’m not that ugly am I?” she pouts, curling her bottom lip before looking back to her panting creature. “I think if anything, my darling forest lord is a monster~ And a cute one too~!”

“Then I will destroy your ‘monster’ and end this insanity!” declares the Fire teacher, raising her wand toward her creature. “GO!”

The helephant lets out another trumpet as it charges once more at the forest lord with blade raised high.

Lilu only smirks, raising her hand as her eyes begin to glow a luminescent green much more vibrant the woodland shade they usually take. Likewise, that same color begins to gather around her hand as she giggles and points her palm to the helephant and then to the crowd. “Forest Lord. Kill.”

With a shrill shriek of agony, the helephant is impaled upon the claws of the beast, and the lord lets out a roar once more as it lifts the massive creature above itself and throws it toward the crowd of wizards and witches. Stone archway and most of the school crumbling beneath the weight, Lilu lets out an insane laugh at the mess of red oozing out from under the creature’s limp body before it too also disappears in a cloud of embers to leave the mutilated bodies behind in its wake.

The beast lets out a triumphant, bellowing cry throughout Ravenwood, and Lilu breaks into crazed cackles as she skips forward only to prance around in the fresh pool of red, splattering it over herself and literally dancing over her new victims.

That is...until she heard the warning growl of her companion.

Looking over her shoulder, her excitement only grew at the sight of cow-faced teacher, Moolinda Wu. The Life instructor stops with both Halston Balestrom and Lydia Greyrose on either side, horror written on all of their faces. Tears begin to gather in the eyes of Moolinda, and she takes a step forward toward the green witch.

“Lil-?”

“Ah~ You must be Moolina Wu~ Greatest Life teacher in all the Spiral...Tell me...Can you do all of this~?” she coos, grinning as she gestures to the mess at her feet. The forest lord towers above her, standing tall and proud as it regards the three suspiciously, waiting for its master’s word.

Shaking her head, the professor approaches slowly. “You’re supposed to be dead...Why...Why are you doing all of this..? Why do you not rest in peace, child?”

“Hmm? Dead? Why...I’ve never felt more alive,” giggles the witch, grinning as she spins on one heel and poses with her arms spread wide.

“What cruel magic is this?” whispers Moolinda, shaking her head in disbelief as Lydia puts a hand on her green-robed shoulder.

“This isn’t her, dear. This is a dark magic. We must destroy it,” advises the Ice fairy, glancing toward Lilu sternly. “Before too much is lost…”

However, the blood-splattered witch only lets out another laugh at the statement. “Oh~ Destroy me~?” Raising her hand, she begins to wag her forefinger back and forth with every syllable. “I. Don’t. Think. So~”

“Seraph!”

“Thunder Bats!”

“Evil Snowman!”

A blonde headed and winged woman dressed in white robes and armed with a short sword flies forth toward Lilu, followed by the swarm of blue and yellow electric bats and snowman donning a dagger and top hat. She doesn’t flinch, only smirking as they near her, and within feet of their approach, her beast swipes its arm in front of her, effectively defeating the three in a flurry of snowflakes, leaves, and sparks.

The teachers take a step back as the forest lord approaches, gaining green energy once again in its hands in preparation to strike.

“STOP THIS MADNESS, LIL-!”

“Spinysaur.”

Moolinda continues to step back in horror until she feels a wet substance drop upon her shoulder, running down the front of her body. Touching a hoof to the mystery liquid, she dares to look up…

Only to be met with cruel, white fangs…

Xxx

“Ah~ How beautiful~” sighs Lilu, smiling contentedly as she steps over the body of Halston Balestrom and pays no mind to the corpses of the other defeated teachers--Moolinda Wu, Lydia Greyrose, Dalia Falmea, Arthur Weathersfield, Malorn Ashthorn, and Cyrus Drake--and students alike.

Silence falls upon Ravenwood like a disease save for the rustling of the leaves above her head, falling down as tears upon the ground. As she passes by the center courtyard, admiring her work, she hears a deep voice that garners her attention.

“Oh child...what have you done?”

Turning her head, she regards the ancient face carved into the wooden trunk. “Hmm? Oh, this? Well, I decorated the place a bit! Hope you don’t mind, teehee~”

“I cannot see what has happened to you, child...There is a darkness in your soul even I cannot gaze through…” observes Bartelby, his tone hardening in thought. “It pains me to see what you have become…”

“What I have become..?” mutters the witch aloud, tilting her head curiously before shrugging with a smirk. “The grief must have gone to your head, wrinkle-roots~ Oh well~ I’d kill you too, but Master has something much more fun planned for darling old you~”

“Master...who is this Master of whom you speak? Is it-?”

“You talk too much…” she growls, her face taking on a grim tone as she races forward and summons her crystal hammer. “Shut up, future-furniture!”

“NOOOOO-!”

[I]SMASH!

Splinters fly in every direction as the brunt of her power lands upon Bartelby’s mouth, smashing in the bark to mute the ancient tree. His limbs shake with fury, but in the end, he is left powerless as the green witch steps back and regards him with a smile. “See? Isn’t that better~? Now you can’t tell anyone I was here, capish? What was that? A yes? Oh, how kind of you~” Giggling, she waves at him before turning on her heel. “Toodle-doo, bark-butt.”

As steps down the ramp into the courtyard, she stops to look in a drying puddle of blood, regarding her reflection carefully.

[I]Remember…

Bartelby’s voice echoes in her head, and her smile falls. Raising her gaze toward the mutilated corpse of Moolinda Wu, an odd twinge of sorrow begins to well inside alongside the pride and glee. Laughter erupts from her even as tears begin to fall down her cheeks, and she falls to her knees as she holds her midsection and crumples over herself.

She doesn’t know this feeling...this strange feeling of grief...as if some terrible wrong has been done...as if she has lost something important...but she can’t quite put her wand on it.

Convulsing sobs and laughter ripple throughout her body, and she buries her face in her bloodied hands to try and catch the tears.

Vaguely, she remembers white and purple...someone’s voice whispering sweet nothings...the feeling of warmth...and the sensation of something strange in her heart that she’s long forgotten…

But as soon as it came, everything seems to recede once again, and she’s left laughing as the insane gleam returns to her gaze. Rising to her feet, she turns on her heels and starts down the tunnel toward the commons.

"And the fun continues~"


	17. New Job

Two days have passed since the incident at Winter Winds Tower...or what used to be Winter Winds Tower. Now it’s just a heap of rubble and forgotten bodies. 

We fled to a cabin somewhere in the wilds of Polaris where we’re now lying in wait for...some sign...any sign that the members of what they call Morgrim’s Ministry survived. 

Something inside me knows that deep down, they really are still alive, searching for us, watching us from the shadows, and waiting for us to stick our noses out so that they may finish the job. They’re the only reason why I haven’t tried to leave this party of wizards like the others did...like the fairy lady and the frog man...and a few other select others that had used the mammoth as a getaway only to leave shortly after.

Speaking of which, I haven’t seen most of the wizard group for some time now… Vanessa left hours ago for town to pick up some supplies, and Mariah and Scarlet are in one of the back rooms tending to Valerian. The Storm wizard stopped breathing on our way here, and it was thanks to Scarlet’s quick actions that saved him in the end...but only barely. She’d ripped off the sleeves of her robe, knife cutting into her own flesh and pouring out her own blood over his injuries in the hope that a sacrifice spell could save him...However, no one foresaw the curse that had been placed upon him. 

According to Scarlet, Valkoor must have cast some sort of Infection spell on him...I’m not sure what that means, but the Death witch has been in there for hours trying to dispel it…

I assume that by the lack of her presence she hasn’t succeeded yet.

With a sigh, I look across the homely room and take in the smell of apple cider and ginger. The wooden walls are lined with various medals, plaques, sconces, and weapon displays. Bookshelves are tucked beneath cabinets filled with antique bottles, and the open living room I sit in is furnished with a fireplace made of stone and a furniture set (complete with two couches and a recliner) shape in a U around a maple coffee table facing the fireplace. As I lay on one of the plain, old couches, I look over my shoulder toward the kitchen area with a wooden wall with a serving window lining toward the door. From where I am, I can make out the oaken cabinets, center island, and granite countertops. 

The room is brightly lit by the candle-lit chandelier, and as I look across the table to the other couch, I snicker at the sleeping Balance wizard dressed in red flannel on the the other couch with a fur blanket pulled up to his waist. He’s drooling, and frankly, I find it disgusting…

Honestly, I don’t know how anyone could be sleeping right now. I find being in a house full of wizard-kind is more angst-inducing than the time my brother told me to jump off the top of the Lonely Tower with nothing but an old sheet as a makeshift paraglider. 

But I don’t really have much of a choice. Chances are, that Valkoor guy has a vendetta against me for striking him, and I plan on going home without a target on my back…

Rolling onto my side, I bring my hands under my cheek and stare at the the coffee table with a pensive frown. The question now, I guess, is where to go from here. Do I stay with these stupid wizards or risk returning to Avalon with an unfulfilled quota of revenge?

The opening of the door behind me and the gust of cold, Polaris wind shakes me from my thoughts, and I sit up to look over the top of the couch. Vanessa steps in and slams the wooden slab behind her, brushing off her winter coat (a thick furskin coat trimmed with Yeti fur). Adjusting the ear flaps on her fur hat, she looks stomps her boots on the entryway rug and glances past me toward Angel. She pauses, as if trying to decide whether or not to wake him, and apparently she decides against it as she turns her cold gaze toward me. Looking down her long, pointed, and reddened nose, she sniffs before speaking in a hushed town so as to not wake her companion. “Can you help me unload?”

For a moment, I’m compelled to refuse her, but I remember the skill the tiny body possesses and the way she easily took on the most dangerous members of the Ministry just a few days ago. The numerous awards and weapons on the wall only serve as reminders. 

Nodding hesitantly, I dare to stand from the couch and follow Vanessa outside. I’m greeted by the bitter sting of frigid air through my fur, and I twitch my whiskers as I take in the white landscape before me. Pine trees and snow go on for miles, scattered upon the hilly horizon like the wild berry bushes in Avalon. Buried to my calves in snow, I shiver and trudge my way to the six-foot tall pallet covered in wooden crates (roughly twenty or so). In front of it, a furry brown reindeer shakes the snow from his antlers, his harness buckles jingling slightly from the movement before he raises his head toward us with a grunt.

“All but two of these are feed for the mounts over in the stables. The rest need to go inside. I’ll get the two important crates if you lead Olen into the stables and unload. Skeet should be in there as well. Make sure to help him with tending to the creatures inside,” Vanessa instructs as she rolls two crates off the pallet and into the snow so that I may lead the reindeer and his heavy load to the nearby wooden stables nearby. 

I’m not keen on helping her move the crates, but I do nothing to argue as I nod and grab the reins, leading the reindeer toward the snow-covered building nearby. As I make my way toward the stables, flurries of white catch my eye, and I look up with a blink toward the cloudy, mid-day sky of this Polaris winterland. 

Snow...why does it always have to be snow?

Flattening my ears, I grumble as I shake off the flakes falling atop my exposed head. Why can’t I go home to the summery fields of Avalon already? I’m sick and tired of this cold…

Showing Olen inside, I close one of the large, barn-like doors behind me and let out a sigh as I feel the warmth of the dry, snow-free space inside. Lamps filled with glowbugs are hanging about on the ceiling, illuminating the large space inside. 

Rows of pens line the long, dirt pathway to the other set of the doors on the opposite side. Near the entrance, I can make out a mini building inside to my right, the door cracked open enough for me to make out what seems to be tack for the mounts. Crates are stacked to my left, each labeled with various titles like: ‘Yak Meat,’ ‘Fish,’ ‘Popcorn,’ ‘Black Sun Seeds,’ ‘Hive Rinds,’ and ‘Scarabs.’ As I look down the aisle, I notice Skeet stepping out from one of the stalls and closing the large half-door behind him. 

Looking up at me, he regards the crates and Olen for a second before letting out a sigh. He doesn’t say a word as he approaches me only to walk around and unclip Olen from the pallet and lead him down to one of the stalls. Noticing that the labels on the crates match the ones nearby, I start stacking the massive wooden boxes with gritted teeth. 

The heavy containers bring a quick ache to my muscles, not used to lifting much anymore, especially after my extended captivity. As I finish loading the last box labeled ‘Dragon Fruit,’ I hear the tack door closing behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see Skeet looking at me with a deep frown. 

Snickering, I set the heavy crate atop another without a care in the world. If he’s going to say something, he can say it. I don’t really care…

“Calamity...I apologize for the way I treated you…” 

I blink, pausing as my ears perk at a sentence I thought I’d never here. “Excuse me?”

“I misjudged you. You saved Valerian’s life back there...and I thank you...In fact, you might have saved us all. For that, you have my humblest apology,” he mutters, apparently struggling to come to this fact, but nonetheless continuing. “You need not accept it, but I hope we can move past our transgressions, and hopefully, in time, you may come to accept our group. I understand that it may be difficult to trust your sworn enemy; I understand your pain. Nevertheless, I ask for the chance Master Valerian was kind enough to see and give you. I see now what he must have seen in you…”

Glancing over my shoulder toward the Burrower, my jaw drops slightly as I let his words sink in. Does he truly mean this? Where is all of this coming from? We’ve been here for two days, and he’s just now speaking to me? Questions bombard my mind, and I’m left speechless as Skeet dips his head humbly. 

“You don’t need to say anything right now. However, would you be so kind as to assist in looking after these treasured creatures? With everything going on, you must be bored with sitting in the cabin all day. I would like to entrust you with this duty, as I’m sure you’re very capable. Take it as a symbol of the trust you have earned.” 

I can only nod in astonishment, unsure of what to think of this. Naturally, he isn’t wrong. I haven’t had much to do with the events of late, and taking care of the steeds we rode in Avalon was once a duty of mine I took great pleasure in...I wouldn’t mind taking care of the creatures here. 

Trust...I didn’t think I would receive it from a wizard...least of all a servant of one. I’m not really sure what to say to it...I hadn’t intended on wanting that in the first place…

“Come...Let me introduce you…” he says with a nod, clasping his hands behind his back as he leads me down the aisle. “To your left is Nudara, a Goldwrought Eagle and prized mount of the Royalty of Aggrobah in Mirage. She was given to Angel as a gift. She’s to be given two whole raw fish both in the morning and in the night. Take into account that she is a mechanical beast. Oiling her joints with the special oil in the tack storage will be mandatory once a day to make sure she’s prim and proper for a flight on any notice.”

Looking over the door, I notice the golden eagle standing in a nest made of straw and twigs, glaring at me with dark green, intelligent, and predatory eyes. It’s golden, metal body shines in the light, and it lets out a low growl-like sound. 

“Careful, she doesn’t like direct eye contact...with the exception of Angel, naturally,” warns the Burrower as he continues on and gestures to the large owl peeking up over the door across the path. Its eyes are pupil-less, nothing but glowing, yellow orbs sunken into a pale, white face. Spider webs coat the ebony feathers down its body, and it snaps its beak twice at me as I near it. “And this is Dunkel, Scarlet’s Midnight Owl. He’s on a strict diet of a mix of black sun seeds and hive rinds--three large helpings a day. Also, make sure that the webs on him stay nice and damp.”

“Why are there so many webs?”

“Ah, Midnight Owls host actually a colony of spiders beneath their feathers. The spiders keep parasites off the owls in exchange for the free food. Also, the milky webs they create keep her skin from drying out and offers an electrical resistance, perfect for weathering tricky storms,” informs the Burrower, smirking knowingly as he continues onward. “And you’ve already met Mory.”

“Mory..?” I mutter, brows furrowing together. Isn’t that...Vanessa’s mammoth? How could he possible fit in here? Glancing over the door, there’s Mory...in midget form. By some strange magic, he’s no bigger than a badger now, a tiny pet version of his once magnificent form. 

I guess Skeet sees the shock on my face, for he lets out a small amused sound and answers my unspoken question. “Ah, surprised to see him so tiny? Well, one can’t really shelter a giant mammoth, can they? So why not shrink them down to a bit of a more manageable size? Mory has a special pendant around his tusk, as you can see, that allows him to grow and shrink as he pleases. Quite useful, actually…”

A small, icy blue tear-drop pendant dangles from his ivory tusk, and he lets out a little toot from his trunk as his tail wags at the sight of me. The once terrifying giant has shrunk into something...I must admit...strangely cute…

“He’ll be needing a helping of Caramel Popcorn in the morning to go along with a certain salad mix Vanessa makes special. She leaves it in the fridge every morning and evening, so make sure to grab it on your way out of the cabin. Also, make sure to comb out the knots in his fur at least once a day. Vanessa is very picky when it comes to his upkeep, and it’s best not to upset her, as I’m sure you’re very well aware of,” Skeet warns, stepping aside to look over the next stall. “And here is Ishan. He’s a Royal Solar Sabercat, one of the few left in the Spiral.”

Following him, I glance to the red cat-like beast. Glowing, yellow markings make indescribable patterns down his muscular body, giving him an intimidating aura to match his fear-provoking fangs. Inch long claws embed themselves into a wooden trunk (a make-shift scratching post), and he lets out a yawn to further expose his nigh foot long fangs. I swallow, watching as the massive cat turns his head to groom his heated fur. 

“Solar Sabercats are very neat animals, and grooming their fur won’t be of much need to you. Not to mention, their fur is always blistering hot to the touch. There is special gloves having here on the door for you to use while in the stall. Actually, these cats are typically a little bit too friendly, so don’t be surprised if he tries to tackle you in a cuddle.”

A cuddle?! Holy Artorius! He’d smash every bone in my body if he tried to ‘cuddle.’ 

“Oh, and be mindful of his tongue. It’s hotter than the rest of his body and could probably leave a burn that you’ll be feeling for the rest of the month. Don’t let him lick you,” he mentions, holding his finger out at me warningly. “He needs a good helping of yak meat three times as day, and there is some firecat gummies hidden in the tack room for the occasional treat. Be careful though, he’s already very spoiled.”

Oh, and here’s old Al. He’s an Alphyn from your home world...Cody...Cody adopted him a long time ago. Considering that his master is no longer with us, I’ll take care of his physical activity. You need not worry about it for now. Just worry about the basic care. His mane will need groomed twice a day, and his diet it pretty much the same as Ishan’s. Normally, he’s very prideful and reserved, so he isn’t overly pushy, and you shouldn’t have much of a problem…”

Al, a very original name...But I recognize the creature...The large lion like head with an impressive red mane, front eagle-like feet, and wolf-like back feet are unmistakable...even more so with the rat-like tail and tufts of red fur on his hindquarters, back legs, and armpits. Laying in a straw bed with one forefoot crossed over the other, the regal animal regards me calmly with an inquisitive stare. 

“Oh, and you already know Olen. He’s the working deer of this land. He really just needs fresh hay and ground corn in the morning and in the afternoon.”

Passing Skeet with a brief nod, I look over at the large stall and tilt my head. I would have assumed that one stall equals one creature, but I’m surprised to see the two snuggled in the hay in the largest stall of all…

A Celestial Wolf and a Malorian Dragon...two creatures who share nothing in common...fast asleep together without a care in the world. The large, jade dragon is curled around its companion, and I take in the large tan horns, eggshell white underbelly, and fins upon either side of its head and down its tail. Curled against its stomach is the glowing blue canine with dark green markings etched into its sparkling fur.

“Noel and Rekesh,” Skeet says with the hint of a smile, stepping beside me to look at the strange sight. “Noel has been Valerian’s partner since he stumbled upon Winter Winds Tower as a young student of Ravenwood. She’s small and oddly gently for a dragon, but fierce when the time comes. Lady Lily named both of them because Valerian couldn’t decide on a proper name, and Lily wouldn’t allow him to name her Jade because it was too...oh how did she put it…? Mainstream? I believe that was her word for it. She prided in naming Rekesh most of all, saying that she found the name in an ancient tome, and apparently the ancient dialect means ‘Lord of the Full Moon.’ She was quite proud of herself, naturally. Then again, Lady Lily was known to overthink a lot of things; it balanced out Valerian’s recklessness nicely.”

“Lily?” I think I recall hearing the name, but after all this time, I don’t remember ever hearing who she was…

Skeet bows his head, glancing away from me as he clears his throat. “She was Rakesh’s original owner...my first master...and Valerian’s former fiance. However, she passed two years ago during the last battle with the Ministry. It was a tragic loss.”

Valerian’s fiance? I blink at the news, unsure of how to react to the news. He didn’t strike me as the type to settle down, and part of me questions how anyone could ever bother falling for such...such an irritating prick…

“Nevermind that...Rekesh needs to be groomed daily and needs his claws trimmed about every week or two weeks, depending on the need. Noel and Rekesh share meals, and you’ll find freshly hunted troll hanging behind the shed twice a day. They like it cold, so just go ahead and drag it in here. They’re well-mannered, so they’ll wait to eat until you give them the signal. Also, during the afternoon feeding, make sure to give Noel some Dragon Fruit; Malorian Dragons are omnivores, and while she prefers fish and berries, there aren’t any big enough fish nearby to give her.”

Upon hearing her name, Noel cracks open a turquoise eye, and raises her head to look at me curiously. Likewise, Rekesh opens his with a yawn to follow Noel’s gaze to size me up. The wolf twitches an ear and sniffs curiously before yawning and lowering his head back down to his paws, tip of his tail swishing lightly by his nose. However, the dragon only stretches her neck toward me to exhale a puff of smoke, and I let out a cough and wave my hand to try and disperse the cloud. “He-hello there,” I manage in a coughing fit, tears stinging my eyes as my chest spasms. 

“Grrr…” A light growl rises from the creature’s throat, and it regards me for another moment before stretching out farther to rest its chin gently above my head with an odd rumbling, purr-like sound…

I can only stand there, frozen and unsure of what to do or what to react...especially in the presence of a beast that can bite my face off at the flip of a switch…

“She likes you,” chuckles Skeet, the first semblance of a laugh I’ve heard from the butler thus far. 

Likes me? Is he sure it doesn’t want to eat me? Has she eaten yet? I don’t even know…

Noel takes her head off of me and nudges me with her muzzle, and reluctantly, I reach up to touch her surprisingly warm scales. They’re smooth to the touch, like touching the skin of a snake...but softer…

Running my fingers down her long snout, the odd rumbling noise continues as if she’s purring, and I can’t help but smirk. She’s probably the epitome of a gentle giant...I can’t remember any dragons in Avalon being near as good-natured. 

“Come on. Chances are, they’ll be wanting us back soon, and I dread being far from the Master for much longer...in case a tragedy befalls us,” he says as he turns toward the doors. 

As I pull away from Noel, a thought befalls me that I can’t help but ask. “Why do you serve him?”

“Valerian? I suppose it is because it is what Lily would have wanted...and I admit, I have grown fond of him after all these years.”

“Then...did you like him at first?” I press, starting to follow him toward the doors. 

Skeet shakes his head, looking at me with a raised brow. “Do Burrowers fly?”

At that, I can’t help but smile....

 

**Xxx**

 

As we enter the cabin, I instantly notice the awakened wizard sitting on the couch and the smell of something mouthwatering in the air. My stomach rumbles in response, and I look over through the window and into the kitchen where Vanessa stands near one of the counters in a white sweater and a long blue skirt. A large pot is steaming on the stove, and her knife clicks on a cutting board as she dices various vegetables with precision. 

There’s a kettle of tea brewing over the nearby fireplace, and it mingles with the savory smell of whatever Vanessa is cooking. Overall, a sort of homey vibe seems to wash over me, and I can start to make out the scent of a hearty stew…

Angel regards me with a nod, looking between the two of us with the slightest hint of a smirk. “I told Vanessa that the probability of one or both of you not returning before sunset was highly likely...it appears you have both proven me wrong,” he observes as I brush off my lightly snow-dusted robe. 

Skeet nods in response, walking toward the fireplace to warm his paws. “Ah, I had suspected that we might not either, but I am glad that we have the honor of proving you wrong, Angel...Not that it isn’t commonplace anyway.”

The machete-wielder’s smirk falls into an annoyed frown, and he falls quiet as looks away with a slight huff. I have to hold back my amusement as I walk around the couches and toward the kitchen where I stand in the doorway, watching Vanessa swipe vegetables and herbs from the board and into the cooking pot. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, what are you making?”

“It’s called Solyanka…” she mutters, not looking up from her work as she stirs it with a focused frown. 

“Solyanka? I’ve never heard of it…” I say, but not daring to move any closer to the quiet and deadly Ice witch. 

She glances over her shoulder dryly, her lips caught in a wry expression. “Yak meat, mushrooms, fickle pickles, olives, smoked fish, onions, garlic, baby carrots, pepper, butter, killer tomatoes, couch potatoes, king parsley, dead beets, and lemon juice--classic Polarian delicacy.”

“Your cooking is the only one superior to Skeet’s,” compliments Angel from the other room, the only nice thing I’ve ever heard him say, and likewise Skeet nods. 

“Your cooking skill would be the only one I’d ever bow to,” he agrees. 

So...basically, she can cook and kill without about equal efficiency. 

She nods her head toward one of the cabinets as she stirs the stew. “Can you please bring me seven bowls?” 

Without a second to spare, I reach up to the nearby cabinets, opening the wooden doors to bring down seven, small soup bowls and hand them to the taller of us two. Vanessa only nods in thanks and grabs them from me before using a ladle to dish out the beautiful meal into each. I can’t help the saliva gathering in my mouth, and I fight the natural instinct to let my tongue loll from my mouth. The smell is probably the most pungent I have ever had the pleasure of inhaling. 

Handing the bowl to me, she says, “Give these two to Angel and Skeet.”

I have to restrain myself from looking at the bowls and losing my self control, and taking them obediently back to the living room, I hand them to their respectable owners. Each thank me, and I quickly shuffle back to the kitchen in the hope that I’ll be next to receive a bowl...only to hear:

“Bring these three into the back rooms for the others…”

Struggling to look downtrodden, I nod slowly and take the three with some difficulty before nigh dragging my feet toward the back room…

Maybe I can hurry in and out and THEN I can get a bowl…

If they don’t eat it all before I get back, that is…


	18. What Happened?

As I walk into the room, the smell of blood hits me like a freight train. Nose twitching at the scent, I sneer as I close the door behind me and take in the sight before me. 

The room only consists of a table and two chairs, a bed with a bed stand, and a small sofa against the far wall. There’s enough light outside filtering in from the only window in the room on the wall to my left to illuminate the the body beneath the bed sheets and the two other people on the couch. 

Mariah is sitting upright on the couch, Scarlet’s head in her lap as the Death witch is laying on her back, missing a shirt and left arm bandaged all the way up to her shoulder...red staining through the gauze. The redhead combs her fingers through white hair, gazing into her partner’s golden gaze gently. 

“Shhh...you did great today...Rest now, love…” she murmurs, managing a small smile through the obviously forlorn emotion she must be feeling. In her situation, I couldn’t watch my partner mutilate themselves for any reason, no matter how noble. 

Scarlet’s eyes seem to weigh down heavily, and despite how hard she tries, her ivory lashes begin to flutter against her pale cheeks before she finally gives into her lover’s wish. 

With a sigh, Mariah looks up toward me with an uncharacteristic half-smile. “Hey, fuzzball...Is that dinner?”

Fuzzball?! Who is she calling fuzzball?!

With a huff, my ear twitches in annoyance as I set the bowls down one by one on the nearby table beside the window. “Yes…” 

She sniffs the air for a moment before letting out a small hum. “Oh, Vanessa must have cooked. It smells absolutely divine~”

I nod, looking over my shoulder to Valerian’s still form. The blankets are pulled up to his chest, tucked under his armpits as his scarred arms rest still at his side. His white hair is completely askew in every direction, dark bags circling under his eyes and skin turning a sickly shade of grey. There’s a smell of death and sickness lingering with the blood, and I curl my snout at it. 

Even as much as I despise him...I pity his state. This is nothing like I imagined his death would be like...

He looks so...frail like this. It’s hard to imagine him as a disgusting murderer when he’s nothing but a wilting sapling just waiting for a passerby to squash it beneath their boot. 

“How is he?” I ask, knowing the answer but nonetheless deciding to ask out of politeness...and a lack of things to talk about. 

Mariah’s gaze falls, and she glances over to the Storm wizard even as I start to bring her a bowl. “About the same...Scarlet can’t keep up with that amount of damage. She’s doing what she can, but...Death wizards aren’t meant to do this...Yeah, she can keep him alive for now...but sooner or later, she’s going to run out of strength...and when that time comes…” Mariah trails off and takes the bowl from my hands with a small thank you. 

I look down at the dozing form of Scarlet with a twinge of sympathy. Even in sleep she looks exhausted, and I recall the moments of panic atop Mory...those few moments Valerian wasn’t breathing. That terrible scream of pain as she stabbed herself through the hand…blood pouring from the wound and over Valerian’s wound as she recited her spell through agonized sobs. 

“There isn’t anything else we can do?”

“No...None of us have the ability to heal wounds like these. Vanessa has some experience with Life magic, but not enough to overcome this Infection curse. It’s rotting him from the outside-in, and Scarlet can only use her magic to push it back...but not to overcome it. Death wizards, in order to heal, must take life to give it. Unfortunately, it’s very rarely done to give it to anyone else but themselves. In fact, the only known spell to heal others in the long list of Death spells is called Sacrifice...It’s a very painful spell, as I’m sure you’ve seen, and very few wizards are willing to perform it...but then again, Scarlet...is a very rare Death wizard…”

“How so?” I ask out of curiosity. 

“You see...most schools of magic have stereotypical personality traits that they’re known for. For example, my school, Fire, is known for being stubborn and short-tempered. Death is known for being selfish. No, Death is not an ‘evil school,’ but it is common for several Death wizards to use magic for selfish and evil purposes. But...Scarlet isn’t selfish in the least...Sometimes, I think she would have been a better Life witch…” Mariah smiles a little, using a free hand to gently run a hand through the silken white locks. “One day, her kindness is going to land her into a lot of trouble...She’d sacrifice herself to keep anyone she loved safe…”

I don’t doubt that for a second. Even though I haven’t known her long, it matches up with everything I’ve learned so far. This team of wizards is so oddly diverse, and I often wonder how it is that they could possibly get along so well...Then again, I wonder why anyone would like a wizard in the first place.

“Honestly...I’m glad I joined up with this team in the long run...Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of falling in love with her…” she sighed sappily. 

Whilst I refused from gagging from the sappiness of that statement, curiosity still piqued my interest. “How’d you even end up here anyway?”

“Oh, that’s quite a long story, darling,” she giggles, waving a hand at me playfully. “To keep it short, basically I was a rebellious teenager who wanted nothing to do with my family in Marleybone. I’m not much of one to conform to social standards, so I ran away and enrolled myself at Ravenwood. At the time, I was a hotheaded, angry jerk who thought I was better than everyone there…Valerian taught me otherwise...and afterward, Cody coaxed me into joining their team. Oh by the Great Bone, I miss him dreadfully…”

Cody...I remember that man talking about how they killed him...massacred him…

When we arrived here following the incident at Winter Winds Tower, I recall Vanessa explaining how she had discovered his body after hearing about a brutal murder in the Sunken City...how she kept what she could salvage from his body (his weapon and an armband with the Myth insignia he apparently always wore)...and how she headed straight to Winter Wind Tower afterward to warn them of what happened.

Stepping away from the two, I head back toward the table with more questions in my head than ever. “So...about this cult…” I begin, “what’s their deal anyway? You called them a cult...Morgrim’s Ministry...but...you didn’t really say much else. Are they really that dangerous?”

“You saw it for yourself...They’re absolutely bonkers...but they’re no joke,” she mutters, expression hardening even as she begins to eat her dinner, speaking between bites. “Their leader is a man named Valkoor Ashblood. He’s a Death wizard with unimaginable powers, perhaps the strongest the Spiral has ever seen. He serves a demon in the form of a wraith called Morgrim who plans to destroy the universe as it is and create it anew. At least, that’s what they say. The first step in their ‘ingenious plan’ is to kill all who stand in their way. Basically: they aim to kill all wizards and then destroy life as we’ve all known it. You see, three years ago, they began stirring up trouble. Those, were the good old days. We stood against them on several occasions, and in fact...Scarlet here knows more about them than anyone. She actually used to be part of that cult. During one of our scuffles, Valerian, Vanessa, Cody, and I were all imprisoned by the Ministry, and Scarlet was the one who aided in our escape. I pressured her to join us shortly after.”

So...Scarlet was one of those crazy wizards… It’s an interesting bit of information, to say the least. I honestly couldn’t say that I would have seen her part of such a radical group hell bent on destroying the Spiral and themselves with it. 

“So, what happened in the end?”

“Long story short, there was a big fight, and we won...at a great price. Eventually, Valerian and Valkoor were engaged in this epic duel while the rest of us worked to keep his goonies from interfering. During the battle, Valkoor used a power he calls ‘The Death Aura’ which consumes everything it touches...destroying all life in the near vicinity. To say the least, Valerian lost...his hair turned white and his skin started to rot on the spot. He collapsed, and as he lay dying, Valkoor went in for the hit that would have ended everything right there…”

She paused, taking another bite of her food, and I could see the memories flashing in her eyes as I dared to sit in one of the chairs and begin to eat the food intended for the sleeping wizards. I mean...if they weren’t awake to eat it…

Taking in a deep breath, she continued. “It was Lily who intervened. She was the love of Valerian’s life...We met her in Khrysalis in one of our travels...an orphan raised by a tribe of Burrowers and a master of Life magic, the likes of which I have never seen in all my travels. They quickly fell in love...it was probably the most adorable thing ever. I shipped it so hard. Later one, they became engaged a week before the battle… Valerian has never forgiven himself for what happened.”

“Well? What happened?” I press, gaze narrowing and flicking over to the sleeping Storm wizard as I try to imagine this scenario taking place. 

“She stepped in between them and took the blow that would have killed him, at the same time casting a powerful spell that sent Valkoor flying. As she lay there dying beside him, she chose to heal him instead with the last of her strength...After that, Valerian went into a raged frenzy that pretty much ended it, destroying most of everything in the near vicinity. We tried to find her body in the rubble after that...but...we never could. Regardless, it was probably so damaged that it’s probably a blessing Valerian never had to see it…”

Nodding slowly, it makes sense...and I can almost see the scenario playing out in my mind: an epic battle, spells cast in every direction as two of the Spiral’s most powerful wizard duel in the center and one suddenly falls...The one left standing goes in for the kill only to strike an innocent bystander in the way...and as she lays there dying, she gives the last of her energy to save the one she loves most as he hold her, sobbing and begging her to save herself instead…

It’s a cliche story, something probably everyone has imagined or thought of--that emotional death of a loved one as they die in your arms after having saved you. 

“After that, we thought that the Ministry was done for and that Valkoor was dead. Apparently, we were wrong…” she sighs, setting her bowl aside as she shakes her head. “And this time, I don’t think we’re strong enough to win…”

I don’t think so either, and the party was a lovely testament to that. Bringing another spoonful to my mouth, I blow on the steaming food gently and ask, “So what are you going to do about it?”

“I’m not really sure…” she whispers, looking down at her lover once more, apparently crestfallen. “With Lily and Cody both dead...and maybe even Valerian soon...I don’t think we have a chance by ourselves…”

“Don’t...be so pess...pessimistic, flame-head…” croaks a familiar face, and all attention turns toward the smirking knight in the bed. He manages a tiny chuckle before his face contorts in pain and his chest heaves in a short coughing fit. 

Mariah stiffens in worry, her brows knitting together as she seems to be torn between rushing to his side or allowing Scarlet to rest. “Hey, easy there, Sparky...You’re not allowed to die yet.”

I honestly couldn’t agree more. He isn’t allowed to keel over unless it’s because of my blade. 

Standing from my seat and setting my spoon back into its bowl, I walk across the room to stand at his side with a stern frown. “Agreed. You can’t die until I kill you, wizard.”

“Heh.” Valerian manages a small smile at that, resting his cheek on a pillow as his tired eyes meet mine. “Fair enough...Is that...Vanessa’s cooking I smell?”

Does everyone know her cooking by its scent?! I knew it was good, but these wizards are like bloodhounds! Holy Artorius! 

One brow raised, I nod slowly, and a glint of excitement flashes in those pools of amethyst. 

“Could I...please have some…?” 

I hesitate, glancing from him to Mariah in question. How am I supposed to give him anything? He’s too weak to do more than move his head. What? Am I supposed to like...feed him like a baby or something? 

“Go on. Get him some stew,” Mariah orders, gesturing toward the leftover bowl on the table with a wave of her hand. 

Ears flattening, I make my discomfort noticeable as I grumble and shuffle there and back with the bowl, disdain evident on my face. Holding the bowl out toward him, I look away with a deep sigh. “There. Here’s your stupid food.”

Valerian raises a brow at my childish behavior and hums in amusement. “I see it.”

He doesn’t physically press further, but the expectant gaze and the way he doesn’t even TRY to raise a hand to receive it irritate me to no end. Honestly, I’m not going to feed him! No way! 

“Well?” I can hear Mariah coo, obviously starting to find this funny from the slight giggle in her tone. I’m going to shove her own braid down her throat in her sleep.

However, there’s not much I can do but storm out...and considering that we’re in the middle of nowhere in a cabin full of wizards more than capable of killing me...my hands are tied. 

Snorting, I shake my head and sit on the bed beside Valerian. “Fine. Whatever.”

Helping to prop up the pillows for Valerian to have some support for his head, I’m fuming inside. Literally, I am helping keep my enemy alive by feeding him like a child. And I thought getting beat by the likes of Scarlet the Angry Midget was bad. 

Filling the spoon and carefully raising it to pale lips, I can’t help my growl at his apparent hum of satisfaction. My whiskers spasm with annoyance, and I look down to the bowl as I fill the spoon again and again, repeating this ridiculous process. Every time, he flashes a pained, cocky smile. 

He knows what he’s doing is getting to me, and I know he takes pleasure in getting under my skin. He’s a right bastard, and he knows it too. 

“Mmm...I’ve missed Vanessa’s cooking,” he manages, eyes half-lidded as he licks away some of the smeared residue at the corners of his mouth. 

“I think we all have!” Mariah chimes in, flashing a wide grin even as my expression sours, and I stand to gather the bowls at the table. “Aww, she’s so cute and fluffy when she’s angry!”

“Like a cat caught in the rain,” adds Valerian. 

Cute? Fluffy? Oh, I’d show them cute and fluffy all right!

“Excuse me?!” I snap, turning my head toward them with teeth bared and hackles raised. “Would you like to repeat that?”

“Honestly, take a joke darling. Would that kill you?” sighs Mariah, shrugging as she holds her bowl out to me, and I snatch it with a low growl. 

“Mayhaps, it would,” I mutter, starting toward the door. 

It’s Valerian who, surprisingly, stops me. 

“Calamity…”

“What?!” Looking back toward the wizard furiously, his sincere expression surprises me and completely catches me off guard. 

“I didn’t get to thank you...for what you did...You saved...my life...if only...for a little bit longer...For that...I am...eternally grateful…” he manages, the dark circles around his eyes more prevalent than ever as his hand weakly reaches out toward me, taking my own as I step toward him. “I...I would like...to promise...that you...that you only...will have the right...to kill me...in the end. This...won’t beat me...I swear...and will see...that you get your wish...if it is...what you really want…”

What does one even say to that? I swallow, staring at him in complete silence with my mouth slightly agape, and although I don’t look to see her expression, I would assume that Mariah is in the same state of shock judging my her silence. 

“But...we still have...two days...until our week is up…” he points out with a small smile, squeezing my hand before his grip begins to slip and his words slur with fatigue as he begins to lose consciousness once again. 

“I hope...I was right...about you...Calamity…”


	19. Memories

_ *Valerian’s POV* _

 

_ “Valerian…” _

_ “Vallleeerian~” _

_ “Valerian...wake up, sleepyhead.” _

_ My eyes flutter at the soothing, familiar voice ringing in my ears. It’s soft, the giggle following like the chiming of tiny bells. I can feel the brush of lips on my forehead, and a smile breaks my tired face as my brows raised with a hum.  _

_ “Hmmm?” _

_ “Come on~ Roll over and let me see how they’re doing.” _

_ “Hmm...how what’s doing?” I mutter, nonetheless complying anyway as I grudgingly roll onto my stomach with a groan.  _

_ I can hear her laugh again as I feel gentle fingertips brushing along my spine, tingles shooting throughout my nerves. “Your burns, silly.” _

_ Oh yeah...burns...I was burned by...some hobgoblins...while we were farming for that...what was it again? I don’t...I don’t remember… _

_ “It’s looking good...Some grendelweed and frost flower extract should do the tricks…” she muses, and I can’t help but smirk into my pillow. Even without seeing her, I can picture that pensive expression...the way she presses the knuckle of her pointer finger against her lips and stares off into the distance… _

_ The weight on the bed beside me disappears, and footsteps pitter patter to and fro around the room until she returns.  _

_ Shuddering, I wince at the cool oil-like substance she’s rubbing against the burns. I can’t help but squirm...not only from the sting of my injuries, but the bitter chill of what I assume to be the frost flower extract.  _

_ “Why can’t you just use magic?” _

_ “Why can’t you just hold still?” she bites back, huffing as I squirm again at her touch. It’s not like I can help it! It’s freezing! _

_ “It’s co~ld!” I whine, pouting and pressing my face further into the pillows to the point where I question how long it will take me to suffocate.  _

_ She sighs and pauses in her treatment. “You need to learn that magic isn’t a quick solution to everything. You rely far too much on it, AND you’re way too reckless. You charge into everything head first without thinking. One of these days, you’re going to get hurt, and I won’t be there to take care of you!” _

_ I’m not sure what to say to that, and I fall quiet, raising my arms to wrap around the pillow my face has buried itself in.  _

_ “Hey...really...you didn’t have to push me out of the way, yesterday. Vanessa cast enough charms to keep me from getting hurt. If you hadn’t reacted so stupidly, no one would have had to have in this situation in the first place…” _

_ “I know…” I grumble, brows furrowing as I curse my impulsiveness. “It’s not like I can help it...I just...I don’t know what I would do...if...something ever happened to you…” _

_ Her tentative hand finds my shoulder, squeezing lightly as I feel her breath against my ear, stirring my hair. “Don’t you think I feel the same? We can’t keep doing this forever...One day you’re gonna have to pass on the torch of Savior of the Spiral to someone else. You can’t play hero forever...I want you to grow old with me one day...but if that can’t happen...and if I must leave you, promise me that someday you’ll give someone else a chance to see it…” _

_ … _

_ “I promise...Lily…” _

_ With a sigh, I turn my head to look at her when a shrill scream fills the air, and I’m left staring in horror as blood begins to pour from her mouth, eyes, nose, and ears. Crimson stains her pale features as the jagged spikes of an Avenging Fossil pierce her trembling form...six in total.  _

_ As she falls backwards from the edge of the bed, I let out my own scream. “Lily!”  _

_ Scrambling after her, I leap forward to catch her in my arms as the scene around me begins to spin, drowning into black before everything changes before my very eyes. In place of our quaint bedroom, I’m here in the tattered, destroyed rose gardens of Darkmoor...the moon reflecting red with the blood spilt tonight.  _

_ Everything seems to stand still...and now I remember it as clear as day… _

_ It all...It all happened in an instant...but it felt so long and drawn out to me… _

_ I remember...her hands as they met my side in the flashing lights of spells being cast all around us...and as gravity sunk its merciless claws into me, dragging me to the ground, our eyes met for a moment...just a moment… And I watched the jagged shards sinking into her flesh in slow motion, the way the agony climbed up her body and filled her face with an expression forever ingrained into my mind.  _

_ The air left me in a gasp as I hit the ground unceremoniously, but I didn’t care...nothing else mattered than to reach her… _

_ As I lifted my head, a sick nausea overtook me, and I gagged on my own vomit...There she stood in shock, impaled with the long, bone fragments and hands wavering over the one through her stomach. Blood trickled from her mouth, and tears began to form in her eyes before her legs gave out beneath her and… _

 

**Xxx**

 

I wake up with a gasp, my eyes dry and the skin around them stiff from dried tears and dust. In my panic, I sit up quickly only to let out a hiss of pain, clutching my throbbing midsection. 

“Shhh, shhhh...lay back down...you’re only going to irritate your injuries…” 

I turn my head to see Mariah hovering next to me, her hands helping to guide me to lay back down, and I can only wince and force a grateful smile. She’s been like a hovering mother these past few days...Maybe if she’d batted for the other team, she would have been a good mum. I would have loved to be the funny uncle. 

“Thank you,” I rasp, touching her arm gently with my fingertips as my eyes grow heavy again. Everything is bitterly hot in here...that fact is only accentuated when I feel Mariah press a cool rag against my head, the water icy cold to the touch. 

“Thank me by getting better,” she says with a small smirk, though I can tell by the look in her eyes that I’m not doing well…

I think...that I’ve known for a while...that I’m going to die...

 

**Xxx**

_ *Calamity’s POV* _

 

Another day has passed...and things aren’t looking good…

He’s started hallucinating, and even from where I sit, I can hear him screaming: “No” and “You bastard!”

Scarlet just can’t keep up anymore with the Infection, and she passed out about an hour ago...I’m not really sure what we’re supposed to do now…

Vanessa is standing next to the fireplace with her arms crossed, staring at her sock feet with a deep scowl. Black hair falling over her eyes and to her waist, she makes for an intimidating picture, and I instead cast my glance to Angel who is sharpening his machete...He too has the same expression. 

The homey feel of this cabin has been dulled by hopelessness, and I feel so out of place...

As the nearby fire begins to slowly die out, I become restless, and I don’t feel comfortable sitting around and doing nothing. “Excuse me,” I mutter, but no one looks up to acknowledge me as I slip on my knee-high boots and walk outside. 

The winter air is more tolerable today, I guess...It’s not snowing, for one, and the sun is glistening on the mounds of white at my feet. As I trudge through the drifts toward the stables, I let out a deep sigh. 

It’s been almost a week since the bet I struck...if it hasn’t been already. Time hasn’t really been on my mind lately with everything that has happened. I’m stuck...I don’t know what to do now. 

With this Ministry wandering around, it’s not like I can just go back home...They know who I am...I’d be a walking target. But as I look at this desolate land of snow, mountains, and ivory-plastered pine trees, I feel more homesick than ever. 

My ears lower, resting against my head as I push open one of the large doors to the stable. Though I’ve already tended the animals recently, I find them better company than the sulking wizards, and Skeet took off a while ago towards town in the hope that he could find someone to help Valerian. He probably won’t be back for the next couple of hours, weather permitting. 

Dunkel lets out a purr-like hoot and peeks over his door as I enter, tilting his head ninety degrees to the right with curiosity. 

“Hey, Dunkel…” I mutter, reaching out to pat the top of his head (which is thankfully to the side, otherwise I wouldn’t be tall enough to reach it). 

He turns his head rightside-up at my touch and bobs his head up and down with another hoot, and I can’t help but smirk at the reaction. 

His hoots garner the attention to the other mounts in the stable whom have come to know me in the last day as the ‘food giver.’ It’s as if I’ve gained instant popularity. 

Walking down the aisle, I peer over one of the doors at little Mory who’s laying on his side in a fresh nest of hay. The straw stirs at the end of his trunk from his steady breaths, whistling slightly with every exhale. Resting my arms across the wooden wall, I lay my head upon them and let out a long sigh. 

What am I going to do?

Do I stay here? Do I go back home? Do I kill Valerian?

Everything is so uncertain now…

A month ago...maybe two...I don’t know...I was in my home in Avalon, defeating any Fomori giants and goblins that dared to walk down the High Road and escorting caravans of supplies between Caliburn and Caer Lyon. 

Now, I’m stuck in the Middle-of-Nowhere, Polaris with a band of my sworn enemy being chased by a group of insane wizards out to destroy the universe as we know it. What the hell am I supposed to do?!

Tail swishing behind me, my whiskers twitch in annoyance, and press my cheek against my forearm. I wish Brother were here...He’d know what to do…

 

**Xxx**

 

_ “Brother! Brother!” My distraught, childish voice broke the quiet air of our humble home, and the soft pitter-patter of my feet drummed against the wooden floors as I ran down the hall with tears in my eyes. Bursting into my brother’s study filled with books and scrolls alike, I shuffled over to the dark form sitting at a desk.  _

_ He turned to greet me, his lips pulled into an ‘o’ in confusion as he regards my troubled face. “What is it, Calamity?” _

_ “It won’t get up!” I cried, salty drops dribbling from my chin as I sniffle, holding up my cupped hands to show him the still form of a crystal butterfly.  _

_ “Let me see,” he sighed, expression softening as he gently scooped it from my hands to inspect it. “Hmmm...he’s a little stiff and dried out is all. I’ve got just the thing.”  _

_ He stood from his chair, walking past me toward one of the shelves and procuring a bottle with sparkling dust. Uncorking the tiny vial, he tapped the contents out and onto the tiny, motionless creature. As it made contact with the wings, the crystals instantly became brighter, and the butterfly began to flap its wings, perking up.  _

_ I let out a gasp of wonder before clapping and hopping up and down in my excitement. “Yay! You did it! You saved him!” _

_ He let out a small chuckle. “It was nothing, really…” Moving toward one of the open windows, he allowed the butterfly to fly from his hands and out into the world before closing the pane to ensure that it wouldn’t fly back in. “You did a good thing by bringing it to me. You saved its life.” _

_ “Really?!” _

_ Laughing, he nodded with a smirk. “Uh-huh. You did great today!” Reaching down toward me with his hand, he ruffled the top of my head and rubbed one of my ears affectionately. “You’ll make a good knight one day, Calamity. You already know the big secret.” _

_ “The big secret?” My expression turned into one of confusion, and I tilted my head. “What’s that?” _

_ Smiling, he kneels and whispered into my ear, “All life is precious. As long as you never forget that, you’ll be one of the best knights there’s ever been.” _

_ “But I could never be better than you!” I giggle, tackling him in a hug as I pressed my face into his chest. “You’re the best knight ever!” _

_ His chest rumbled with his laughter as his arms wrapped around me in a warm embrace. “Then, I guess we’ll be the best together.” _

_ “Forever?” _

_ “Forever.” _

 

**Xxx**

 

I turn around, pressing my back against the wood and sliding down until I can pull my knees against my chest and bury my face into them with a muffled sob. 

These past few days, I have never felt so helpless and alone...and the one person responsible for it may never get to pay the price for it...and it hurts…

It hurts so much…

I want to make him feel the pain I felt...but...apparently, he’s already done that…and there’s no honor in killing a half-dead man. 

But even if he wasn’t dying, it wouldn’t matter…

Because even if not killing him brings me dishonor for not avenging my brother’s murder, killing him will be the greatest dishonor to my brother’s memory…

My hands tighten their grip on my legs, and my chest heaves with heavy sobs, pants being thoroughly soaked with my tears. I’m left oblivious to the world outside of my memories, and I don’t notice the winged eye floating nearby watching me until I fall asleep in my misery before phasing through the door and to wherever it came from…


	20. Decisions

“Did you find anything?” Angel asks Skeet, all of us gathered in the living room and facing the newly returned Borrower with bated breath. 

He sighs, setting his scarf aside after unwrapping it from his many layers. “Yes and no?”

Vanessa’s expression hardens, arms crossed firmly across her chest and leaning against the wall besides the kitchen entryway. “What do you mean ‘I don’t know’?”

“Heh, well...I couldn’t find a strong enough Life wizard in Walruskberg, BUT I heard rumors that Baba Yaga has returned to her home in the Forlorn Tayg.”

Silence befalls the room, and I can’t help but wonder who this ‘Baba Yaga’ character is. 

Mariah’s usual smile turns into a determined line, and she nods. “I think it’s worth the risk. It’s the first real chance we’ve had,” she comments, and Scarlet shakes her own head in agreement. Even from where I sit, I can make out the circles of exhaustion around the Death witch’s eyes. 

“Indeed. I predict that we’re nearing the end of our allotted time limit,” Angel mutters, feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him. “Furthermore, the longer we remain here, the higher the percentage of the remaining Ministry finding us gets. It’s logical that the best path to follow is the one that leads us away from here.”

Vanessa stands up straight, letting her arms fall to her side as she speaks. “Then, it’s decided. We leave now. The longer we wait, the more we stand to lose.”

Everyone but me nods in agreement. 

The Ice witch continues, pointing toward the two other witches in the room. “Scarlet and Mariah, can you please see to moving Valerian? Angel and I can prepare the mounts for us to travel. We’ll do the standard procedure. Skeet, please pack the trunk with our gear. And Calamity...try not to get in the way.”

I grit my teeth, and our narrowed expressions meet each other in a frozen intensity that everyone in the room seems to feel by the looks of the faces I can make out from the corners of my vision. 

_ That bitch… _

She snickers, turning her head away from me as she grabs her coat from the hanger beside the door and starts outside. “Come on, Angel.”

He glances in between the two of us thoughtfully for a moment before nodding slowly and obediently following her. 

One-by-one, the wizards and Skeet make their way out of the room, and I glower as I sit on the couch with a seething glare pointed towards the door. What the hell is her problem anyway? Perhaps, I hesitated in killing Valerian, but I wouldn’t hesitate killing her. 

 

**Xxx**

 

The whole process took less than a half hour, and I didn’t bother helping them load up their supplies. In fact, I’m content to just stay here in this lonely cabin in Polaris and die of the cold or starvation before I join a team of wizards off trying to revive the man I’ve sought to kill. However, Vanessa didn’t give me that option. 

“Calamity, you’re in charge of driving Olen. Angel and I will be scouting up from above with Nudara and Noel. Skeet will be in the back of the cart tending to Valerian, and Scarlet and Mariah will escort you,” she explained, gesturing to the group of saddled mounts. 

I sigh as I exit the cabin in nothing but only gear I have...the stupid party outfit Eloise made me. Guardian’s gear...right? I could hardly care less. It isn’t warm at all. 

Dunkel is slightly snoring as he sits perched upon Al, the nocturnal creature likely resting up in case the expedition takes us into the night. Mariah mounts Ishan, swinging her leg over the saddle and patting him gently, apparently unaffected by the immense amount of heat the Solar Sabercat emits, the ice melting beneath the beast’s paws.  Likewise, Scarlet jumps atop Rekesh, the Celestial Wolf shaking his head and tail swishing back and forth languidly behind him against the white ground. 

I don’t make eye contact with any of the wizards, instead trudging through the snow to the Olen and his cart. Stepping up, I sit down and glance over my shoulder to where Valerian is laid out gently across the wooden planks and wrapped in mounds of blankets. Skeet is sitting beside him, a small trunk, and little Mory. 

Vaguely, I wonder why Mory isn’t carrying all of us, but I guess a giant mammoth brings attention to yourself. 

Vanessa strides over to us, holding a small roasted peanut to the tiny mammoth. “Be good, Moroznyy...Take care of them for me…” she mutters, a barely recognizable hint of fondness flashing in her cold, silver eyes. Mory trumpets in response and then takes the peanut as his master rubs the top of his head and then regards Skeet. “I’ll be right above if you need anything.”

“Of course. Be safe,” he says with a brief nod, his breath casting rolling clouds into the frigid air. 

As she nods back, she casts me a glare that warns me not to mess up, and I only roll my eyes as I turn away from her. Bet that pissed her off. 

“Let’s go!” she yells, Noel letting out a roar in response before a gust of snow and wind nearly blew me out of my seat. I sink my claws into the seat and turn my head just in time to see the cause of the sudden snow storm. 

Noel flaps her mighty wings, stirring the snow beneath her before her powerful form launches her into the sky, followed by Nudara’s cry. The golden beast soon follows, and I let out a long exhale before I snap Olen’s rein, beckoning him to move on ahead.

 

**Xxx**

 

The su n sits high in the sky now, bringing some warmth to my red fur as we tread down the snowy trails through a thick pine forest. Silence sinks upon us save for the heavy breath of our mounts and the slight chatter of my teeth. Below us, the snow seems to capture the sound of our steps, greedily refusing to allow any semblance of life show itself in these quaint woods. 

Everything seems so dead here...and I shiver as a gentle breeze ruffles my fur to allow the cold in between the iced bristles. 

I hate the cold.

I hate Polaris.

I hate my situation.

I hate everyone here.

I hate. I hate. I hate. I hate **EVERYTHING**!

I growl under my breath, and Skeet lets out a low chuckle from behind. “I can see you don’t like the cold.”

“What gave you that impression?” I mutter dryly, glancing over my shoulder at the Burrower who has his feet tucked under him and petting Mory with a hand. 

“I wasn’t sure, actually. I figured either that sour face is because you hate the cold or just that it’s your normal face.”

“Har-har. Funny.” I snicker, turning away to focus on driving, and I can faintly hear his little chuckle under his breath. “I take it by the lack of panicking, Wizard-boy is still breathing?”

“He’s hanging in there…” he replies quietly with a trace of concern in his tone. I understand why. Valerian’s breathing is much quieter than it was...and not in a good way. 

The same silence from before begins to creep upon us again, and I don’t particularly mind. I don’t fancy having a conversation with that stupid mouse...Regardless of his apology or not. However, I guess he didn’t have the same idea. 

“Why are you still here?”

“What do you mean?” I ask, ears twitching at the sound of Olen sneezing, and I manage to steer Olen around a fallen pine. 

“Why haven’t you returned to your home world yet?” he presses, and it takes a lot not to snicker at his question. “One would assume that you’re here to kill Valerian...but you’re not, are you? You wouldn’t have saved him back then if that was your intention. So, why are you here?”

The question mutes me, and look down at my hands as the freezing fingers clutch the leather reins. Why am I still here? I guess I could have left and hid elsewhere in the Spiral, if not back home now that I think about it. For a while now, I’ve been thinking that I count on these wizards to keep me from being killed by the Ministry, but I guess that also, the longer I stay, the bigger the target on me is. 

His question also brings attention to the two wizards striding alongside us. While their eyes are focused ahead of us, I’m certain they’re listening to this conversation. They might seem nice, the two-faced magic-users, but I know that they trust me as much as I trust them. I’m not stupid. I know that Vanessa didn’t put them here to escort us...They’re my executioners should I act out of their favor. I know that they wouldn’t hesitate to kill me. 

“I made a deal,” I conclude with a brief nod, but even that answer seems fake to me. I’m not even that sure about ending Valerian’s life...part of me just...doesn’t have the gumption to be the hand that plunges the sword through his chest. 

“Is that really why?” Skeet asks, and he steps over the edge of the cart to sit beside me in the driver’s seat. Hands clasped in his lap, the one-horned Burrower tilts his head curiously at me. 

Flattening my ears, I try to turn my gaze away from his. “Mind your own business.”

“You’re trying to kill my master; therefore, it’s my business.”

Gritting my teeth, my hold on the leather straps tighten, and I snap my head back toward him with a growl. “WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE AN ANSWER?!”

As if he’s won, he only smiles at my answer and dips his head respectfully. Looking toward the forest, he lets out a small sigh. “It might be cold now, but eventually, everything blooms in beautiful spring…”

What the hell is he talking about?! It’s Polaris!

Blooming into beautiful spring..? Stupid Burrowers and their metaphors…

Skeet stands up, and turns to return to the cart and Valerian’s side when a the whistle of something flying through the air perks my ears. As I turn to look toward the direction whence it came, Mariah’s shout and the heavy thud demands my attention. 

“SKEET!”

  
The Burrower is laying on the ground in shock, the Fire witch dismounting and running toward him as his hands hover over the dagger imbedded into his chest. I stare in shock and begin to pull on the reins to stop Olen, but a loud sound bellows behind us, snow spraying in every direction from...an explosion?!   
Olen panics, rearing up, and I can’t help the shout of surprise as the cart jerks forward and the reindeer sprints into the woods recklessly. 

“STOP! HO!” I yell, every muscle in my body tense and eyes wide as I pull the reins back as far as they can go to slow him down, but the explosion from earlier only multiplies. 

Ears ringing with the sound of exploding snow, I duck under a whistle as another knife flies through the air at my head. Could it be the Ministry?!

As Olen cuts off the pat, I growl as a pine branch snaps back to hit me in the face, gashing my cheek and splitting my lip. The coppery taste of blood makes it past my gritted teeth, and I can’t afford to look back at Valerian to see how he’s holding up through all of this. 

Sleigh jumping up and down through the snow drifts, I look around for the possible attacker and raise my hackles at the shadow running full force through the trees to my right, daggers shooting out at us in a quick barrage of certain death should we stop. 

The option of jumping out and making a run for it would spell my doom…

CRACK! 

The wheel of the cart collides with what I assume was rock, and I’m thrown from the carriage as it tips over with the shrieks of the panicked reindeer. His harness snaps, and he makes a run through the trees…

My body bursts with pain as I hit a nearby tree hard, breath leaving me, and I collapse to the ground. World spinning around me, I can hardly make out anything, and my lashes flutter against the soft, chilled flakes beneath me, gathering the tiny particles to give a likely ashen appearance to them. Everything is so...numb...I’m not even sure I can move my fingers…

But I’m trembling...Every fiber of my being is telling me to run...but I can’t move. I’m stunned. I hurt. I’m cold. 

Maybe if I just give up now, it’ll save me the trouble later…

My ears are ringing, but I can still make out the crunch of boots in fresh snow and the laughter of someone I don’t know. Even through my fading vision, I can see feet moving towards my head. 

“And here I thought you might be a little fun…Oh, poo…” a forlorn voice sighs, and the person digs their toe under me to flip onto my back. 

I let out a groan, head pounding and blood trickling from the back of my head to stain white. “Nnnn…”

“Tsk, tsk...what a waste to a pretty face. I’ll make sure to carve you up right and proper. The least I could do is turn you into a work of art,” the voice muses.

As I blink slowly, I can begin to make out the man’s features...Black, shaggy hair...a scar and milky white film over his left eye...pale skin...a robe like Vanessa’s...

He draws a knife from his belt and places his foot on my shoulder. I hiss in response as he adds weight to it and stoops down to trace his knife over my bosom. Regarding me with a hint of smirk, he traces the outline of one of my breasts with the tip of his knife, watching his own movements with some sort of sick, twisted delight. 

“What a shame...Maybe I can have some fun with you while Mason’s keeping them busy...Couldn’t hurt to enjoy myself while on the job.”

Have fun with..? Does he mean..? No...No...he couldn’t…

My eyes snap open as I regain my senses. Snarling, my hand darts to grab his ankle, flipping him off me as I turn around and dig my fingers into the snow. Instinct to survive kicking in, I crawl away as quickly as possible, trying to get to my feet. 

The man laughs as he stomps after me, catching up to me with ease only to pull me up by the back of my collar, and the cool steel of the knife finds my throat once again. His breath brushes my ear, and I can’t help but shiver. 

“Ah, we’re going to have a little bit of fun after all~ It’s so much more fun when they struggle,” he chuckles, deep, dark voice reaching into my core and rattling its foundation. 

My composure slips slightly, and I struggle in his hold for his free arm now holds my own to my sides. “Let. Me. GO!” I bark, feet kicking and throwing white flurries into the air in my fury. 

Pressing me closer to keep me from getting free, he laughs, and I can feel his chest bellowing against my back...feel his warmth through our clothes…

“I don’t know why you think you’re leaving, Calamity~” 

He knows...my name…

I freeze...and he laughs...because he knows the fear he’s put into me. I’m no longer thinking rationally about how I’m going to get out of here...My primal urges tell me to fight, and when I begin struggling again, it’s practically useless...and shortlived.

The knife he presses against my sternum stills me again, and I swallow, wide-eyed as the blade grins up at me...my fearful expression reflected in its teeth. 

“Ah~ Good...Wouldn’t want it slip, now would we?” he chuckles, the knife slowly sinking into the fabric of my vestment and at a painstaking pace, parting the seams toward my chest. 

Heart beating as fast as a dragonfly’s wings, the corners of my eyes begin to sting with helplessness, and I’m too afraid to move. The reality that there is nothing I can do...that I am going to die...and die with my brother unavenged...sinks in like the weight of a sword the first time I held one.

As I stare ahead to try to find something to look at and possibly take my mind off of this reality, I see Valerian lying in the snow a few feet away...a bare arm outstretched from the cocoon of blankets and hair blending in with the snow. He’s pale...dark circles under his eyes...muscles diminished and giving him a ghastly, sickly visage. I would have thought him to be dead...if it hadn’t been for the faint clouds occasionally billowing from his parted lips. However, none of these compare to the horror I feel now...seeing my reflection in his amethyst eyes...wide in horror of what he’s witnessing.

Why? Why does he have to be looking? Why must he shame me further by watching me be defiled?

The world is a cruel place...and it rears its ugly head by bringing forth the painful sting of tears in the corners of my eyes. 

No...No...I can’t cry. I’m stronger than this! I...I…

“Tell me, why would you bother helping these freaks? You’d have been safer if you’d just pledged your loyalty like the rest of your kin...Not that I’m complaining...This has been a nice turn of events, for me.”

Like the rest of my kin? What does he mean? Wait...no...they couldn’t have…

“Such a waste…” he murmurs, pulling the knife away from my chest to gently rub the flat of the blade against my stomach, and I shiver as I feel the cool breeze against my now exposed clavicles and the feeling of a knife against something so delicate. 

“Let me go!” I growl, trying one last time...to...somehow...make it… “I don’t care what you do to him! Just let me go!”

The man pauses, thinking for a moment before letting out a laugh. “An Avalonian selling someone else out? Hah! You really are interesting aren’t you?!” His grip on me loosens, and he taps my cheek with his knife. 

“I’m not selling him out! I came here to kill him, bastard!” I snap, continuing to struggle now that the knife isn’t next to my vital organs. 

“Oh? Really? And why’s that?”

“He killed my brother!” I notice the betrayed look on Valerian’s face, and while I try not to care...it makes me sick inside. But why do I care? If anything, he deserves it anyway…

The man lets me go, chuckling as I stumble forward to my knees in the snow, and he circles me as he throws the knife up and down nonchalantly and catches it by the blade. “You really are something special...Hmm...Then how about you save me the trouble and kill him yourself? If you do, I might even let you walk back a hero with me. What do you say, sweet-stuff?”

I blink in surprise as he hands me the knife with a cocky grin, tilting his head to let the jade earrings in his left ear catch in the sunlight. Cautiously, I take it and regard him suspiciously for a moment. Is he...being serious? 

If I kill Valerian...I get to live?

“What? Don’t think it’s real? I give you my word. Do I look like someone who would lie to you?” he pouts playfully, his lower curling and brows raising into the fringe of black. 

Yes, he does look a liar...Probably, everyone in the Ministry is two-faced. They’re all wizards...It’s in their blood. They aren’t like Avalonians...We don’t lie…

Getting to my shaking feet, I swallow and nod slowly...my legs like lead as I try to walk through the snow toward the defenseless Storm wizard looking at me with...is that...disappointment?

Pfft, why would...why would I care what he thinks? This is what I came here for. This is my mission. My only hope for survival is completing my task. If I run, I’m dead. If I fight, I’m dead. If I try to bargain, I’m dead. 

Gazing down at him, he doesn’t say a word, regarding me with that same expression before it softens. Our eyes meet for just a moment, and I try not to think of these past two-ish weeks...The dance at the party...our talk in the gazebo...our fight in the arena...the cookies he tried to feed me…

It’s amazing how so much has happened in so little time…

He manages a small smile, nodding slowly before closing his eyes and relaxing...as if...giving me permission. 

I-I don’t blame him...I know he’s already in a lot of pain...and I doubt he would have actually made it to this Baba Yaga person alive...I-I’m doing him a favor and fulfilling my goal. Nothing wrong with that…

My grip on the knife tightens, and I work down the lump in my throat. He even..promised that I’d be the only one to do it...This...is what he wants…

Closing my eyes, I take in a deep breath to try and calm my nerves. If I don’t do this right, I won’t be able to at least give him the courtesy of a quick, clean death. It’s not honorable to allow a willing opponent have a sloppy death. 

Honor? What honor is there in this?! He is no opponent!

“Come on, what’s taking so long,” huffs the man behind me, and everything in me seems to snap all at once. For the first time in a long time, I have a definitive answer, and I pull back my lips into a snarl. 

Turning on my heel, I bare my fangs, lowering my head and arching my spine. Fur bristling and drool dripping from one of my fangs, a furious snarl erupts from my throat, “THERE IS NO HONOR IN THIS!”

“Fine, then I’ll kill him myself and you can go next,” he huffs, rolling his eyes as he begins to stride toward me. 

Wrong answer. 

“YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HIM!” 

“Huh? And why not?” asks the ravenette, crossing his arms and raising a brow curiously. 

“BECAUSE I’M GOING TO BE THE ONE TO KILL HIM IN A FAIR DUEL! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DISHONORABLE BASTARD AND A MURDERER LIKE THE REST OF YOUR KIND! IN THE NAME OF A KNIGHT’S HONOR AND MY KIN’S:

**I WILL KILL YOU!”**


	21. The Secret in the Library

_ “-to the savior who art thou in shadows, cloak me in your power and paint the shaded path. For thou art magnificent like the Raven’s wings and the mighty trunk of Bartelby, and in comparison, none be more wretched than thee. In the name of my savior, Morgrim, I pray.”  _

The words reverberate through the bowels of Darkmoor Manor, even the spiderwebs trembling in the corners of stone-walled room. A chill sets in, creeping along the floor toward the dark figure on his knees. His hands are pressed together, fingertips barely touching his forehead as the words tumble from his lips and fall upon dead ears. 

In the darkness, a lone candle stands tall in front of the man’s silhouette, casting long shadows upon the horned figure. It flickers as he finishes his prayer, threatening to go out just as a frigid breeze blows through the windowless room. The smell of foul decay drifts to the man’s nose, and he smiles as--even without looking up--he knows who now stands before him. 

Opening his eyes, Valkoor glances upward to the cloaked form standing slouched before him. Robes made of black fog billow down the lean, tall figure, and hands with blackened, rotted flesh clinging to the bones peeks out from the sleeves, wiggling fingers intermittently. He can’t make out a face, only a dark abyss with no end and a chilled breath billowing out in a tiny cloud rolling through the frigid room. 

“Hello, Master,” Valkoor says slyly, smirking as he dips his head respectfully. 

The shadowed form regards him curiously for a moment before it speaks, its voice an eerie, inhuman tone. “My faithful servant...much has transgressed since you last summoned me.”

“Yes, Master. I have come to report that Lilu has succeeded in her mission, and my two faithful servants have located the wizards in Polaris,” informs the white-haired wizard, glancing up at the taller out of the corner of his eye. 

“I heard their screams from even my domain. She has performed beyond expectation. Has she returned?” 

“She should be at any time now.” Valkoor smiles at the prospect of the damage she must have caused in her assault on Ravenwood single-handedly. He never in his wildest fantasies imagined that one wizard could do so much. “I look forward to introducing her to you.”

The figure pauses for a moment, tapping boney fingers together pensively before continuing. “Her heart is still not whole. THAT part of her still lives. Perhaps, I may be able to destroy it permanently should I meet her. However, it could still be of use to us...if your minions do not succeed in their mission…See to it that they do...” 

“Of course, oh, Morgrim.”

“Do not speak my name so freely,” warns Morgrim, his tone deepening and Valkoor’s head throbbing for only a moment from the sudden rise in the wraith’s irritability. 

“Of course, Master. I’m sorry, Master.”

Waving his decaying hand over the servant, Morgrim continues. “You are forgiven.”

“Thank you, my Master.”

“You are my favorite, Valkoor. It is such a shame that you must fail me so often. But perhaps this change in the tide shall benefit us in the end. I trust you will succeed in your endeavors to win over the Avalonians?”

“Naturally, Master. It shall be done as you wish.”

“Good, in light of-” It trails off, humming to itself and fingers still tapping. 

Valkoor’s smile falls, and he tilts his horned head. “What is it, Master?”

“I have felt something strange, child. A soul trapped between realms...I see a vision...where this soul could be of use to us...but also spell doom for us,” the wraith mutters thoughtfully before a dreadful grinding of bones follows. Morgrim tilts his head back and forth, hands disappearing into his long, fogged sleeves. “It shall determine the fate of me...Hnn...I despise this weakness. Kill it. Destroy it! Rid it from the plane of existence! Immediately.”

Standing, the Death wizard bows obediently and narrows his eyes. “Name it, and it shall disappear beneath the strength of your power.”

_ “Calamity.” _

 

**Xxx**

 

Valkoor strides down the halls of the Manor, several wizards bowing their heads and then scrambling elsewhere at his presence. His thoughts traveled to and fro from every corner of his mind, and he dwelled deeply upon his chat with the wraith, Morgrim--the god of Shadow who gave both him and the Ministry its power. 

_Calamity?_ Where has he heard that name before..? To him it sounds familiar, but he can’t seem to place his finger on from where he’s heard it. 

Through angled halls lit with candle-sconces the horned leader walks, head held high and eyes looking ahead but focused on something so distant no one would dare to interrupt. Even the soft, red rug sinks beneath his presence. 

There is so much to do...so many things moving into place...It won’t be much longer until the move for Checkmate begins. 

The key is Avalon. That much is certain to the leader, knowing the importance of having such a powerful ally on their side. It will be difficult to sway a friend of Wizard City to their cause, but should everything go as planned, the day will be theirs in the end. All that’s left to move into place is…

“Hello there, Grump~” cooes a voice from above, and Valkoor stops to gaze up at the door frame where a strange creature lay across the ledge. A long serpentine body with feathery, winged arms and a tail full of plumage, the creature--a quetzal as Valkoor knows it--flashes a fanged grin, long tail swishing over the doorway. 

With a slight smile, Valkoor dips his head for a moment before speaking with an odd warmth in his tone. “Ah, Ren. Just the man I wanted to see.”

“Ooh~? Isss that sso?” the quetzal hisses before it slips off the frame and to disappear in a cloud of dark blue, purple, and black fog, traces of white dust flying from the colorful concentration before a short man appears before the taller wizard. Shaggy brown hair flying in every direction, slit eyes, patches of scaly skin, and fangs for canines, the man flashes a pointed smile and reveals his pointed ears with a bow. “What iss it thssiss time?”

Valkoor notes the slitted tongue that creates a lisp in Christopher’s speech for just a moment before continuing. “Could you please inform Kai to report to my quarters tonight after dinner? There’s a matter I would like to discuss with him.”

“Of couthss,” slurs the snake-like Myth wizard, grinning as he pulls a stray feather from his mussed locks and his long, furred tail flicks languidly behind him. The shapeshifter bows briefly once more with a chuckle and places a hand over his chest, the golden buttons of his red changshan flashing in the light of the sconces. 

Nodding, Valkoor passes Ren and heads down a set of stairs, his boots echoing down the narrow passageway until he reaches his destination. A spacious room opens up before him, the walls of two whole stories lined with ancient books beyond the imagination. Murals of bloody angels paint the ceiling, framing the candle-lit, steel chandelier precariously hanging over the center of the room.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a small green creature flittering about one of the shelves. As he nears it, the imp turns around and grins at the sight of Valkoor, twitching its long, crooked nose. 

“Why, hello there~”

“Hello, Famul. I’m sure you already know what I’m here for,” he states with a nod, but the tiny, green creature no bigger than his hand only giggles, swaying on his on disproportionately small, clear wings.

“Why, of course I do. What kind of Books Keeper would I be if I didn’t?” He flutters up to stand on one of the shelves, tapping his yellow, hooved feet with a finger tracing a pointed ear like one would stroke their moustache in thought. 

“Well, where is it?” presses the Death wizard, gaze narrowing as Famul laughs again. 

“I don’t have it~ Someone already checked it out~” he croons, grin spreading to both pointed ears and dimpled face scrunching. 

Gaze hardening, Valkoor takes a step forward. “What do you mean, someone already checked it out? That’s a restricted book. It isn’t supposed to leave the library!”

“Leave the library, ho! Of course not! Don’t be ridiculous; I wouldn’t let such an important thing walk out of here!” The imp gestures to the maze of shelves before them. “Just because someone checked it out doesn’t mean that it’s left. Mayhaps you might be able to find them~”

Valkoor sneers at the mischievous imp, knowing that there’s nothing he can do to the magical creature without trapping himself in the maze of books. After all, it is the imp’s job as Book Keeper to maintain the labyrinth, and thanks to his magic, the bookshelves are always changing to the will of the tiny green imp. 

If Famul wants someone to find something, it will be so. If he wants someone to get stuck in the maze and never come out, it will be so. 

While it has it perks, Valkoor questions whether or not it was a good idea to have such a notoriously roguish creature playing the part. 

As he enters the maze of shelves, he ducks his head under a book floating from one shelf to the next and listens to the sound of the shelves already sorting themselves in the distance. Taking a left and then a right around the corner, his eyes scan the rows of colored books, some dusty and some shiny new additions to the collection. Records of past Ravenwood and Pigswick students, ‘The Philosophy on Magic in Regards to the Social Structures of the Wizard,’ and Grimm’s fairytales, are some of the selections lining the many shelves, and the horned leader only acknowledges them in passing as his focus still lies in the singular book he had been set on laying eyes on.

To think, someone has managed to put their hands on such a dangerous and important book creates a nervous weight upon the horned leader, and he cracks his knuckles out of habit. 

Corner after corner, he becomes more and more frustrated, cursing the imp he’s powerless against now that he’s trapped in the neverending labyrinth. 

“FAMUL! KNOCK IT OFF!” snaps the Death wizard, banging his fist against the side of one of the nearby, oaken cases. 

A burst of giggles streamed from above, capturing his attention, and he was drawn to the familiar figure sitting atop one of the shelves. “You’ve always had quite the temper, darling~”

Clad in a green sundress with trumpet vine patterns, Lilu combs stray strands behind her ear and flashes Valkoor a cheeky smile. “You know, stress is bad for your health. But I guess, with what you’re looking at, it wouldn’t matter, would it?”

He grits his teeth, giving her a seething glare that she only laughs at. “How did you even know about this?”

“Hmmm~” she hums thoughtfully, tapping the bottom of her playful, pouty lips before slipping down off the shelf to land on her feet in front of him with the ruffle of her new, green garments. Wearing a green vest over a long-sleeved, lacy white dress, she twirls the end of her jade hair pulled into a braid and circles the tall wizard. The book is clasped in her hands behind her, red leather binding and golden runes visible even from where he stands. “A little birdie told me~”

“Enough with your games, Lilu. Give me back the book,” he demands, holding out his hand expectantly toward the Life witch who only rolls her eyes and flips her braid over her shoulder. 

“Oh? And what if I don’t? What are you gonna do about it?”

She holds the book out toward him and laughs when he reaches to snatch it only for her to rip it back out of his reach. Valkoor growls, stepping forward to loom over the witch who is--needless to say--not impressed. 

“Lilu, that was an order, not a negotiation.”

“Oh, poo~ Negotiations are so much more fun. But since you think you’re the boss around here, I think it would be better if I took care of it, no?” she teases, grinning at his furious expression. 

“No! This isn’t a game!”

“It’s not? Now, where’s the fun in that?” pouts the witch who steps toward him, pressing against his front with the book behind her and free hand resting on his chest. Her breath tickles his jaw, eyelashes falling halfway as she looks at him in a way she knows makes him weak. “You know, I’m more than willing to...negotiate~”

Swallowing, Valkoor turns his head away to keep from meeting her gaze and inhales sharply. “Lilu…” is his warning, shushed by the feeling of her nose tracing down the line of his jaw to his chin...the much too familiar warmth through the fabric of their clothing...

_ “Valkoor~” _

Seeing his opportunity in her trying to distract him, he gathers his senses and lunges behind her for the book only for her to break away with a laugh, waving the book at him. 

“Too fast for you~” Lilu giggles, winking at him. 

Now frustrated in more ways than one, he lets out a huff before he grabs her by the shoulder and pushes her into a bookshelf, trapping her in between it and him. Hand beside her head and the other gripping her chin sternly, he narrows his eyes and bares his teeth, speaking with a slight hiss. “I’m tired of your games.”

“Is that it? Or are you scared of me too?” The smile on her face fades into a seriousness he hasn’t seen in a long time, a nigh deadly gleam in her gaze that begs him to look one, twice, perhaps thrice. 

A chill goes through Valkoor, and he pauses…

Could it be that she’s re-?

“No, I am not,” he affirms, somewhat to himself as he’s well aware of her strength, something that even he would be matched with. 

She manages a slight smile, her free hand reaching up to cup his cheek gently. Her countenance softens, and the green witch tilts her head the slightest degree. “Then why do you not trust me?”

“I trust no one,” he replies simply, keeping his tone smooth, cold, and detached. “Now, hand me the book.”

“One kiss, that’s all I ask, darling~” she presses, the grin slowly working its way back onto her face. 

Snickering, he rolls his eyes before starting to lean in to peck her on the cheek. She tries to catch him in a real kiss, but he manages to snatch the book from her hand and steps back quickly out of her reach. 

“Hey! Not fair!” 

Valkoor only turns from her, tucking the book under his arm as he starts to turn away...to get as far away as he can from the only thing in the world that can break his constitution. 

“Darling, at least have the courtesy of telling me what that book really is. Tell me...what is Sanguimancy?”

At that last word, the Death wizard stops in his tracks, form stiffening. “What did you say?”

“Sanguimancy? That’s Blood Magic, right? What’s that got to do with anything? Is that why you had me massacre the wizard children?”

Head snapping around, he glares at the witch who holds his gaze. “That isn’t any of your concern. Do as the Master orders, no questions asked. That is your only task.”

Sauntering toward him, she places herself against him again, wrapping her arms around his form and looking up at him with the faintest of smirks. “A girl can’t help her curiosity~ Out of anyone else here, who could you trust more?”

In fact, Valkoor had a long list of his servants he could trust more. However, he only looked toward one of the bookshelves to avoid her eyes again...he could get lost in those bright, green pools, and this was no time to lose himself. 

She giggled, placing her head on his shoulder as she closes her eyes and hums. “Your heart is beating so quickly...I understand...I wouldn’t trust me either~ But tell me, darling, am I anything more than just a pawn to you?”

Looking down at her content face, he’s not sure how to answer the question…

Truthfully, he’s enjoyed her company...the warmth beside him in the evenings and the loneliness that follows come morning…

But there’s no mistaking the truth behind her perfection, and he’s well aware of the danger she brings to everything he’s rebuilt. It’s almost as if she’s his guilty pleasure...much to his dismay. 

There’s a demon inside the demon, and while she may be their biggest asset...she’s also their biggest threat...besides this ‘Calamity’ Morgrimm mentioned.

Sighing, he pulls away from her with an answer to her question, stooping down to whisper in her ear...and she doesn’t move after him when he excuses himself and makes his way toward an exit. 

Instead, she merely smiles to herself, licking her top lip in satisfaction swiveling on her heels the slightest amount. Even after he’s gone from sight, she’s still there in her glee, eyes dancing alight with joy. 

Oh how she loves his diabolical, twisted mind, a perfect compliment to her own. 

She can still feel his breath in her ear, brushing delicate strands of green to tickle her lobe and the sensitive area beneath it...his deep, dark voice ringing in her mind...and she revels in his words even as she comes back down to reality and begins to also make her way out of Famul’s labyrinth. 

With a content sigh, she mutters out the words he said to her like someone mutters the lyrics to their favorite lullaby, casting into the air as she recalls how he said it. 

_ “You are my queen…” _


	22. Bleeding Heart

Brian raises a brow at me with a petty smirk even as my chest heaves, panting in anger. “Oh really? I knew you’d be entertaining, but this is too much. You-you really think you can kill ME?” He lets out a laugh, starting to slink toward me with a cocky yet deadly gleam in his white, glazed-over eye. Holding out another blade toward me, he tilts his head the slightest degree to the left and croons, “I’d like to see you try.”

Disappearing in an instant, my eyes widen as the assassin appears behind me, boot digging into my spine and pushing me toward to stumble and nearly faceplant in the snow. I catch myself, spinning around quickly in the hope to land at least a stunning blow with my knife, but he’s gone before I even have the chance. What kind of magic is this?

In a single breath, I feel the force of his boot again, and once more, I go stumbling over Valerian’s still form and trip as my toes catch one of the blankets. The snow greets me like an old friend for the second time today, and my spirit wanes. 

I grit my teeth as I hear his cackle, spitting out snow before pushing myself slowly to my shaking feet. Little by little, I’m becoming blatantly aware of the cold...and my odds of dying in this bitter wasteland of snow and ice. 

“What was that? You trying to kill me? Say that now, foxie~” he taunts, and every fiber of my fur bristling like my nerves. 

Turning, I throw the knife in the direction of his voice with a yowl of fury, and his eyes widen as he sidesteps just in time for it to whiz by his face and embed itself into a tree with a THUD!. He stares at it for a moment in shock before a smile finds its way back onto his face and he turns to look at me. “Wooow, not half bad,” he comments, raising his brows and nodding in approval. 

The wind stirs the snow and the fabric of his cape, rising up and whistling as the tension between us escalates. 

I can’t...believe I did that...I just threw away my only weapon against this freak out of a split second of frustration. I-I’m a trained knight! Why the hell…?

Brother would be disappointed in me. 

The ravenette approached me, tossing his knife casually up and down. “Now, let me show you how this is done.” He smirks and flicks his wrist. 

Before I can even react, a weight pushes my entire right arm back, sending me stumbling backward, and a sharp pain begins to grow from my bicep. Reaching for the source of the pain, my throat tightens as I see the knife embedded into my flesh, and my hand hovers over the handle as I stop myself from pulling it out. 

If I pull it out, there’s a good chance I could bleed to death...but it’s a weapon I don’t have…

However, the assassin doesn’t give me the time to think as the same pain spreads across my right thigh, and I fall to my left knee with tears starting to gather in my eyes. ****, it hurts…

A mad cackle hurts my ears, and the crunching of snow gains volume as it approaches me. Through the hazy tears I can make out nearing boots, and I tighten my grip on my arm around the blade as I look up. Satisfaction is painted on his face like the peeling surface of an old vase, disgusting and repulsive in every way. 

“Awww, does that hurt?” He pulls out another knife and gently presses it under my jaw to keep my eyes trained on him. My throat works, body trembling from both the cold and the fear of having a blade so close to a vital point. “Don’t worry, it won’t last much longer, beautiful. But one last thing before you go, I’ll do you a little favor and give you the honor of watching the Spiral’s only hope meet his demise.”

Withdrawing the knife, he turns and glances over his shoulder at me whilst he makes it over to the blanket-wrapped form of Valerian Legendmancer, completely helpless and unconscious; the only testament of his still being alive is the occasional visible breath in the cold winter air. He stoops down to one knee, pulling back the blankets to reveal his bared chest and holds the knife to his throat with a small smile. Pausing, he looks back again to make sure I’m watching before he turns his attention back toward Valerian. “Nothing personal, ol’ pal. Just business.”

Grabbing white hair, he prepares to finish the job right there and then, but a surge of denial screams throughout me, and I pull together every ounce of strength I have. Ripping the knife from my thigh, I shoot forward and jump on top of the wizard, stabbing him in the juncture between his neck and his shoulder to miss my intended target of his throat. 

He lets out a scream of pain and fury, rearing back to throw me off and tears the knife from his flesh without a care of the blood loss that may occur. I guess when you’re a wizard, those petty things don’t mean anything to you. 

Anger in his eyes, I can tell that he isn’t used to being surprised...or injured for that fact. Getting to his feet, I scramble backward on the ground, eyes wide in terror. He’s going to kill me…

“You *****. You ****ing *****!” he yells, and he prepares to throw another knife when a flash of silver and black garners my attention instead. 

The man’s hand goes flying through the air to land in a snow drift, the ground below painted from white to red in a sick scattering of what appears to be, at first glance, rose petals. He lets out another scream, clutching his arm just above where his hand used to be as red continues to gush upon the stained snow. 

Behind him, Scarlet stands with a cruel expression, raising her scythe for the blade to wrap around and rest at his throat. She doesn’t say a word, only keeping the grim countenance even as her partner joins her at her side, holding her own knife in her hand with a smirk. 

“Oh, long time no see, Jadey-boy. Not so tough without your throwing hand, are ya?” she mocks, sticking out her tongue as he glares over at them through his tears. 

“You...How did you..?”

“Oh, beat Mason? You thought you were so smart sneaking up on us five...thought you had us cornered, but you didn’t bet on the other two in the sky. Forget about our ace, didn’t ya?” she points out with a wink, and ‘Jade’ trembles in anger. 

Baring his teeth, he spits in his fury with every syllable. “And you’re forgetting ours.”

_ ”Stormzilla.” _

A massive beast appears in a crackle of thunder, the bright sky clouding over with storm clouds as lightning dances along the black clouds. Blue with yellow lightning marks and likewise golden spikes down the spine, the creature opens its underbite mouth to let out a furious roar, hands tiny and held against its chest as it stands on two massive legs and swings its tail back and forth, trees felling from the force. 

Jade scrambles between its legs toward a woman with bright purple hair wearing a pink and white furry coat, a chaste smile on her glossed lips. “Hehe, isn’t my baby just cute?” she giggles, blushing as she gushes over the giant Stormzilla. 

Mariah and Scarlet step back with weapons drawn and faces painted more seriously than before. 

“Calamity, take him and run,” orders the redhead, glancing at me for just a moment.

I swallow, looking between her, the creature, and the newcomer before I scramble for Valerian without a second thought, grabbing a corner the many blankets and tugging it to make them into a sort of make-shift sleigh. Unfortunately, I am the reindeer this time, trudging through the snow away from the battle. 

Stumbling over a branch, I pull Valerian behind me with haste as I hear “Efreet!” shouted behind me, a flash of red illuminating the sky before both the flashes of red and purple begin to act like a strobe light in the Polarian air. 

Exhaustion sets in quickly, blood soaking my entire right leg and knife still sticking out of my arm as pulling it out now would only quicken my loss. Not even adrenaline is serving to quell the pain, only helping speed up the blood loss process and leaving an obvious trail behind me. 

The red and purple become less dominate around me, being replaced instead with black as night sets in, the temperature drops, and the white ash trees become more prominent around me as I blindly venture deeper into the woods. I don’t know where I’m going...all I know is that I need to get away...it’s an instinct...all I have left in my mind as I repeat the idea over and over in my head. 

Fear...it’s all I know now...Fear of dying…

I don’t know if it’s the blood that’s going to get me in the end or the immense cold. Either way, I can’t see straight. The trees are all a blur...and every step gets more unsteady than the last. I don’t even know if Valerian is even still alive...Probably not...Wizards don’t seem to have that ability anyway…

Out of curiosity, I wearily glance behind me to check, noticing that there’s still a steady cloud forming from his parted lips. An odd sense of relief comes to me...knowing that. At least...I didn’t die in vain...but I’d still have to die knowing that I died saving the one I wanted dead most in the entire universe…

_ Stupid fate. _

As I turn my head to look forward again, my boot catches on the upturned root of a tree, and I land in the snow with a sharp cry. Wet cold seems to be the only thing I’ve known today, and I let out an angry sob as I lay defeated in the snow. 

My limbs are heavy but still shaking violently. Mind numb, I can hardly make out the tree I stumbled over… I’m faintly aware of my nose running...I know it must be...it’s cold...it does that when it’s cold… I can’t...remember ever being THIS cold. Well...that dungeon came close...but now...now I really know I’m actually going to die this now...it’s a truth as bitter as the cold. Pulling the knife out of my arm, I let it silently be absorbed by the deep white. The tiniest of smiles twitches at the corners of my muzzle, and I close my eyes slowly in acceptance. At least...I get the title of most ironic death of th-the year...heh…

Even as I try to relax in my submission to blood loss and the elements, my body can’t stop shaking...it’s actually painful now...A sick feeling is growing in my stomach, and my head hurts from the volume of my chattering. 

However, above the howl of the wind and the chattering and my labored, shaking breaths, I can hear a faint voice nearby. 

“ _Calamity...Come here…_ ” 

Reluctantly, I raise my head toward the voice, and I look toward the pile of blankets where...Agravaine is wrapped up..? What..? How..? 

“ _Come here, Calamity_ ,” he says again, and I use the rest of my strength to push myself up and crawl toward him. A small smile graces him, and he wiggles out of the blankets to offer me a spot beside him. “Get in.”

“Ag...ravaine..?” I mutter drowsily, obediently lying next to him and allowing the blankets to surround the two of us. He’s warm...almost painfully warm against my cold body. 

My brother shakes his head, resting a hand against one of my ears. “ _You’re hallucinating…_ ”

Hallucinating? That...would make sense...I know it would...but...why? “Why can’t it be real?” I whine aloud, crying softly as press my head against his chest. It would be a kinder reality...or at least my ticket out of this cruel world. 

I hate this. 

I hate all of it.

It really would be better if I were dead. 

“ _I’m sorry_ ,” is all he can say, and those words hurt just as much as the truth does. 

Although I’m under the cover, I’m still cold, and every muscle inside of me aches...My crying only adds to the pain in my chest, and I hiccup as I try to stop myself. Why am I even crying again?

Minutes pass by in silence...and what...where am I again? I...don’t remember...What was I doing?

Oh yeah…”Take...Valerian...and run...Save...him…” I mutter absently, opening my eyes for a moment, but everything is spinning...my ears ringing, and Agravaine’s voice echoing. 

“ _You did...You saved him…_ ”

“So...tired...Why...are we not...sleeping...its dark...we have...training in the...m-morning…” I mutter. That’s right. We have training in the morning. Brother is supposed to teach me how to use a sword. I can’t wait! I’ve always wanted to be a knight!

“ _No, don’t sleep, Cala-_ ”

What...did he say again? I can’t...hear anything now...and...I can’t see…

Everything...Everything is _so…_


	23. Baba Yaga

_***** Valerian’s POV* _

 

Light breaks through the still curtains nearby, filtering into the room and casting shadows over the still form in the bed beside my own. 

She’s there...lying on her side with her hands clutching the pillow to pull it tightly against the side of her pointed face. The creature my life is indebted to…

I yawn, every muscle in my body protesting as I sit up and push the blankets off. Shivering at the fresh, cold air, my tired eyes still linger on Calamity, watching the tiny form rise and fall with every breath...just to make sure.

Last night, I was certain that neither of us would survive. If it hadn’t been for Angel who tracked us down and for Baba Yaga who appeared in response of the battle, we would have certainly have died...Calamity more-so than myself. 

Never would I have imagined that she’d risk her own life to save my own, but I am...eternally grateful. 

“Valerian?” The door across the room cracks open, and Scarlet peeks her head through curiously. Oh, how nice it is to see a familiar face with clarity. 

Flashing a small, weak smile, I shakily begin to stand, my body still getting used to the concept of gravity and movement. “Hey,” I whisper, careful not to wake the still recovering Avalonian nearby or the Burrower behind me in the bed beneath the window.  

Making my way toward the door, I use my hand on the end rail of her bed to guide myself and not fall flat on my face. The wooden boards beneath my feet groan with every step, and likewise, my bones seem to creak. Scarlet smiles shyly and retreats backward, opening the door a little wider for me to pass through, and I return her smile with one of my own. “Thank you.”

She nods, and I walk into the small room with the most basic of furniture. It’s a living room and a kitchen all in one, and I remember the first time we all came here all those years ago…

Vanessa is leaning against the nearby fireplace, Mariah and Angel sitting on the sofa. They all look at me simultaneously as I enter the room, and Mariah nearly squeals as she jumps up from her seat and runs toward me. 

“You’re awake!” she giggles, arms stretched wide, and I grimace as she captures me in a tight hug. 

“Ow, ow, ow, ow!” 

“Ah! _I’mshogladuralive!_ ” Mariah’s face is pressed against my chest, muffled by my tan undershirt. 

“Mariah, let him go,” Vanessa chides, giving her an incredulous stare; although, the Fire witch doesn’t care in the slightest.

She huffs, reluctantly releasing me only to raise a hand and ruffle my already mussed hair. “Whatever, bedhead. Stop being such a wimp. Hugs don’t hurt!”

Scarlet lets out a small giggle, and I can’t help but crack a small smile despite the hurt. I know Mariah has always meant well, and I knew it was coming. 

“Yeah, right,” I chuckle. I don’t really feel like myself...mostly because I hurt and I’m tired...and I have this awful taste in my mouth still from that potion Baba Yaga brewed for me. It’s probably one of the most terrible things I’ve ever tasted in my entire life. 

And that’s saying a lot. 

I’ve eaten space bugs.

“How are you feeling?” Angel speaks up, leaning forward with his hands clasped and elbows on his knees. 

“Less dead,” I joke, shrugging slightly and leaning against the nearby wall. My eyes feel droopy and heavy, and I already hate standing. 

“Sit down. I’m not carrying you again.” Vanessa glares at me, but I only smile because I know that’s pretty much her only face. To some, she’s a hard book to read, but right now, I know that she’s concerned...somewhere...like...really...really….REALLY deep down.

I roll my eyes, pushing myself off the wall and slowly shuffling toward the couch to sit next to Angel. “Yes, mom.”

“Someone has to be,” Mariah giggles, likewise rolling her eyes and slapping me on the back much to my own PAIN.

She’s never known personal space...or empathy for that matter. 

“Gentle,” Scarlet warns, wincing at the slap and raising a hand shyly in protest. 

Mariah looks over at Scarlet with both brows raised and hands on her hips, “Someone’s gotta toughen him up! I mean, look at him! He’s been so lazy lately!”

“Enough.” Vanessa steps from the fireplace with her arms crossed, her brows furrowed. “We need to talk.”

“I agree, dearies,” comes a familiar voice, and I look over to my right as I hear footsteps and the thumping of something heavy every other step. Without looking, I already know that it’s HER staff. 

“Hey, Mama Yaga,” Mariah giggles, winking at the old witch.

Short and hunched over her long staff, her mouth flashes her teeth (or in her case, lack thereof) in a grin beneath her long, crooked, and warted nose. As she walks towards us, her done up, white hair seems to sway, and she lets out a cackle. 

“Good morning.” Waddling over, she stands beside Angel and tilts her head to look at me. “Well, you don’t look like a frozen snowman anymore.” 

“Don’t feel like it either,” I laugh softly, rubbing the back of my head. “Thank you again.”

“Hmmm, best be thanking me, young wizard,” she says, shaking a finger at me lightly. The good mood is only held for a few more seconds when an unusually grim expression overcomes her normally grinning sly face. “But I have a feeling that I’ll be thanking you in the future.”

“Hmm? What?”

There’s an uneasy tension that’s falling over the room, and I swallow and shift uncomfortably. I feel like something terrible has happened...well...it has…

Cody’s dead…

I’ve...tried to avoid it all this time...but it’s true...that’s not something they’d lie about…

It’s just like that bastard to gloat about it…

That sick...twisted...vile…

A hand rests gently on my shoulder, and as I look up at Scarlet’s concerned countenance, I realize that I’ve been digging my nails into my knuckles and shaking. Slowly, I nod, and she brings her hand back with a shadow of a smile. 

But regardless...I don’t think anything could be worse than...that…

I wish it wasn’t true…

“Wizards, something...terrible has happened…” Baba begins, shaking her head and looking to the floor. 

As Vanessa looks away, I have the feeling that she already knows what the old witch is going to say. 

“A few days ago...I...heard that...every student in Ravenwood...was _murdered_ …” 

I can see Mariah’s hand covering her own mouth, and although I can’t see his face, I can tell Angel is horrified. He might be stiff...but he’s turned into a statue, and I can’t even see him breathing. 

Everyone...dead? 

“H-how?” I croak in disbelief.

“I do not know that. All I’ve heard are rumors, but know this: it was the Ministry,” she warns in a foreboding and shaking voice. 

_ Those bastards. _

Fucking...goddamn **bastards…**

Staring at my clenched hands, I fight the stinging sensation in my eyes as nausea begins to overtake me. They killed...everyone...How…?

“What about...Dalia? The teachers? Anyone?” Mariah asks, taking a step forward as she shakes her head and sniffles. 

“No one survived...save for a few students and Dworgyn who was in Nightside as per usual. The twins are gathering the wizards who were away or on the other side of Wizard City.”

At least...the twins made it...that’s a relief...but a small one. 

I mean...oh Bartelby... _Everyone…_

I lower my head and curl my fingers through my hair, cradling my head as I stare at my bare feet. 

This can’t be happening. This is just a nightmare. It isn’t real. It can’t be real. 

Scarlet lets out a small whimper, and I know she’s crying with Mariah who's holding her in her arms nearby trying to console the sobbing Death witch. 

“The Arcanum has gone crazy. Zander has been in deep meditation for two or three days now. Ione is spearheading the investigation, but nothing has turned up yet. All she’s learned is that...this massacre was all done by the hands of one wizard or witch.”

“ _One?_ ” I’ve never heard as much insecurity and fear in Angel’s voice as I do now. To know that someone as stoic and brave as Angel is afraid...it only brings this nightmare deeper into the depths of Tartarus.

“One,” confirms Baba Yaga, and she continues with her horror story. “I’ve heard that the Ministry is currently negotiating an alliance with Avalon and Dragonspyre. Surely, Dragonspye will be swayed to their cause...but Avalon...that’ll be the tipping point. For now, winning them from the Ministry will be the weight needed to tip the scales. Young wizards, I can see in your faces that you are afraid.”

“You just said that one wizard killed every teacher and student in Ravenwood,” I mutter, looking up to her downcast and wart-filled face. “Of _course;_ we are terrified.”

She nods, looking to each and every single one of us. “Yes. I expected as much, but we cannot dally. Every second lost is another second that they get ahead of us. I’m pretty sure I didn’t raise cowards, dearies, and if you lose, I’ll lose 50,000 gold pieces to Ione. So get your butts moving!”

“You bet on us and the fate of the universe?” Angel mutters, deadpanning and face finally falling into its usual unamused stare. 

“You bet I did!”

At that, the corner of my mouth twitches. Somethings never change, I guess. With all of this information...it’s kind of comforting. 

Vanessa huffs in annoyance, but she remains silent as she shakes her head and turns her gaze toward the far wall as if she can’t be bothered with the amount of stupidity. Meanwhile, Scarlet breaks away from Mariah and smiles at Baba Yaga who winks at her, causing the tiny witch to blush and hiccup as she tries to stop her crying. 

“So, what’s the plan, leader?” Mariah chimes, wiping off a stray tear on her sleeve, forcing a smile, and placing a hand on her hip. 

All eyes fall on me, and I compose myself. That’s right. 

No matter what happens...no matter how many people die...We have to keep moving. This has to stop. Once and for all. If we don’t do something, then that blood will be on our hands too. 

My expression hardens, and I look up at the expectant faces as confidently as I can. 

We’re the only ones who can stop the Ministry. We’ve done it once before. We’ll do it again. 

For the sake of Cody, Ambrose, the Ravenwood teachers, the students, and everyone and anyone the Ministry has ever killed, we will, until the very end, 

_ “Fight.” _


	24. The Plan

“Real general, Val. Stop being dramatic. This isn’t a book or anything. Come on, what’s the plan?” Mariah giggles, rolling her eyes.

“I wasn’t kidding,” I mutter, looking to the side; although, I do admit that might have come off a tad more dramatic than it sounded in my head. 

Vanessa stares out the window near the door at the snowy front yard of Baba Yaga’s cabin. “You’re our leader. Lead us. We don’t have time for this. If we don’t do something now, we’re all as good as dead and you know it.” 

So what? I know it’s true! Leave it to Vanessa to be the bearer of bad news. She couldn’t be positive if she tried. 

“I would presume that the chances of us dying are significantly raised every three minutes we remain inactive,” Angel adds...and I want to slap him. 

Seriously, man! Come on. I got it. The chances of us dying are pretty high--nothing different there. 

Well...it is different. We’re down to five out of seven…

“You say the twins are still in Wizard City?” I ask Baba, remembering the two of them with clarity. Mariah had sent them an invitation to my birthday party, but they couldn’t come because of some sort of huge business deal. 

The Gear Twins: the only magical creatures in the Spiral with the ability to control machines with their magic. They own(ed) a shop in the District where my team and I would take our damaged gear for repairs. 

Well...we mostly took them to Ada. Ally is definitely more...different than her sister. She’s a swindler albeit a genius mathematician and the best sharpshooter I’ve ever seen. Any time we’d take our gear and Ally was there, we’d end up paying five thousand more gold pieces than usual...and something of value would always be missing. 

_ Kleptomaniac… _

Baba Yaga nods, chuckling as she too is likely reminiscing the good ol’ days. “Ah, yes. They’ve been the ones sharing all the information they can. However, information is limited. All of the school was completely sealed off by strong astral magic, and when it faded, there was no one else left to ask. Ada could only pick up one strong essence of magic though...and not just any magic...but Life magic.”

“Life magic? That doesn’t make any sense…” Scarlet murmurs, her face scrunching up in confusion.

Yeah...it’s weird...Life magic shouldn’t...shouldn’t be able to massacre people like that. It goes against the laws and principles of Life. Because of that reason, the Ministry doesn’t have any Life wizards or witches...at least, not that I know of, and especially none of that kind of power...to be able to destroy everything in Ravenwood with ease. 

That’s a power I’ve only seen one Life witch have...and...well...that’s not possible. 

Apparently, Angel must be thinking the same thing as we both look at each other with the same question in our eyes. 

“Hehe, that’s what even Ione said...and that’s what Zander is trying to find out. We’ll just have to find out ourselves, probably, hehe! Oh well, that’s what makes it fun!” The old witch waddles over to Scarlet, jabbing her shoulder with the end of her walking staff. “Besides, I’m not surprised. If this little toothpick can do it, why couldn’t a Life wizard? Being a bit class-ist, are we?”

“She doesn’t count,” Vanessa remarks, shaking her head disapprovingly at the shortest figure in the room. 

I’m assuming she said that because Scar was made by Morgrim himself. 

“Oh, and why not? Because she was made by a god? Now, dearie me, weren’t we all?” she points out, shaking her staff at her with a grin. 

I mean...she has a point. We all come from Grandmother Raven and Bartelby and that whole thing that happened with the First World and whatnot. 

“Whatever, we’re getting off topic. We still need a plan,” remarks the Ice witch coldly, and I nod. 

“Yeah. I was thinking we should head to Avalon as soon as possible. Baba’s right. If they win over Avalon, everything is pretty much already over. We can’t let that happen. Angel, tell Ada and Ally our plan....and while we’re at it, tell Zirinnia too. If we can get their help, that would be great.”

Angel nods, and Mariah butts in. “I’ll tell my uncle to have a word with the Marleybonian parliament.”

“And I will ensure that the Qhats are onboard as well...and I’ll contact Istar and Robin. The likelihood of them backing us is high, and their involvement lowers our chances of immediate death significantly,” Angel adds. 

“Sounds good to me,” I say, and lean back in my seat as I stare at the ceiling with my lips pulled into a deep frown of concentration. 

None of this makes any sense to me really…

Everything just came out of nowhere. How could we have possibly been so blind? 

And why? Why is the Ministry doing all this again? I thought I’d destroyed Morgrim. They shouldn’t have a reason to carry on anymore...unless...I didn’t. This whole thing is just a crock of troll shit. 

I wonder...what Cody was doing before they…

Knowing him, he probably got wind of the Ministry and went to go investigate…

“So, what are you going to do with your little friend, eh?” Baba asks, and I raised my head slightly in confusion.

“Nothing. She can go home and get out of here...freeze to death in the snow for all I care,” Vanessa sneers. Is she...talking about Calamity? “We don’t have the time for that drama now, and we can’t risk her turning on us. She’s nothing but a liability.”

“I agree. The chances of betrayal are fluctuating between thirty and seventy percent. I dislike gambling.” Angel nods at Vanessa and glances at me as if asking for support, but I don’t feel like giving it.

“ _Seriously?_ After she just saved my life, you’re going to just leave her behind?” I ask. The whole idea just seems stupid to me. I mean, seriously! She almost gave her life dragging me through the snow, bleeding out every step. I would have died out there if it hadn’t been for her!

“You would have been fine regardless. She just made it harder to find you two, dragging you through the woods like that where any creature--like a Yeti--could have killed and eaten you,” the Ice witch argues, her eyes narrowing into points that could have scared even the most fearsome of magical beasts.

Mariah steps in, holding out a finger in protest. “But we asked her to. You can’t really fault her for that. I, for one, think we can trust her. If she was going to kill Valerian, she would have done it out there.”

At least someone has some reason here.

“Yeah, if she was going to-”

“She was bleeding out and delusional, and I doubt we can really trust her frame of mind. That fox is an emotional time bomb waiting to go off, and there is no place for that on the battlefield. We should have just left her there. It would have been better for everyone,” Vanessa interrupts.

“Let her die?! That’s low, Vanessa, even for you!” protests the redhead, baring her teeth as her emerald gaze flashes amber. “That’s not what we stand for, and you know it! That wouldn’t make us any better than THEM!”

“We wouldn’t stand for anything if we’re all dead!”

The two stand face-to-face now, Mariah bristling in contrast to the cool, but deadly form of the opposing Ice witch. They’re pretty much the testament to the difference between the two schools. 

“Enough!” Scarlet puts a hand on either of their shoulders, pushing them apart with a rare and confident expression. “No more fighting! Let Valerian decide. He’s our leader, and whatever he says, just accept it. We don’t have time for this.”

The raven haired witch pulls away from the other two and crosses her arms defensively, glaring at them before her cruel eyes focus on me. “Pfft, fine. So what will it be, oh glorious leader?”

Leave Calamity here and keep going or risk her turning on us and take her with us?

No, leaving her isn’t an option. That’s not me. Mariah’s right; if she was going to turn on us, she would have done it by now. Not to mention, she wouldn’t kill me without warning. She’s from Avalon, that’s not their way. 

Wait…

Avalon …

“She’s coming. I think that she’ll actually be of use to us,” I begin, sitting up and clasping my hands in front of my nose, elbows on my knees. “If we’re going to Avalon to try and convince them to side with us, it might be of use to us to have someone from Avalon on our side. Sure, the king will side with us once he sees us, but if there’s Ministry goons in town, they’d try to kill us before we even got to him. We’ll need a guide to help us to the castle undetected.”

“And you think she’d help with that?” Baba asks, obviously curious about my proposal as she tilts her head and scratches her nose. 

“If it meant saving her world from certain demise, I think so.”

“I’m not helping _you_ ,” comes a familiar hiss, and I turn my head to the nearby doorway to see Calamity dressed in a simple blue nightgown. She’s weak and tired, and I can see it in the way she’s shaking...leaning so heavily on  the door frame. One would think I’d be used to seeing her that way after all the time she spent in the tower, but I don’t think I ever could. 

“Hehehe, well then, good morning, sleeping beauty,” chirps the old witch from the opposite side of the room, to which the Avalonian glowers at her. 

“If you think that I would help the likes of you, you are sorely mistaken. I would rather die than help you.”

“I can arrange that,” Vanessa comments, her gaze darkening as she steps forward. 

Calamity only bristles, and as she flattens her ears and tries to stand from the frame, Mariah grabs the slightly taller witch and holds her back. “Take a chill pill.”

Scarlet brushes past them toward Calamity who backs away from her suspiciously, but the Death witch only pauses with both her bare hands open in surrender. “Calamity, I know you don’t like this...you don’t like any of us…”

“I hate you.”

“Exactly. But you care about Avalon a lot, don’t you? And right now, it’s in danger. If you don’t do something...if WE don’t do something, then your king...your world...everything you know and love...it’s all going to disappear. So, help us help you,” pleads the tiny witch, tilting her head and raising both brows as she reaches to take both of her hands in her own. 

I rise from the couch, limping toward Calamity with the slightest of smiles. “Please, Calamity?”

She visibly hesitates, turning her head to gaze at the floor so as not to make eye contact with us. 

Oh please...please let her agree...There’s a chance that she’ll be our ticket to victory...and possibly give us the upper hand over the Ministry. Bartelby knows that we need one…

Swallowing, she reluctantly nods and looks at me with a determined, fiery flash in her eyes. “Fine. I will help...but when all of this is over, I demand a rematch.”

_ Fair enough. _


	25. Rumor Mill

_ *Calamity's POV* _

 

“Are you ready, Calamity?”

I can hear Skeet’s voice from the other side of the bedroom door, and I finish looking over my golden gauntlets for the last time. Words cannot express my discomfort after hearing that my gear is enchanted by some sort of defensive magic. I guess that explains why it took so long to bleed out and/or freeze to death, and for that, I’m reluctantly thankful...but still…

Magic is touching my body...and the skin beneath my fur is crawling like I have some sort of parasite. 

Exhaling deeply, I turn and trudge toward the door. Why did I agree to this? 

“As ready as I’ll ever be…” I mutter, ears pressed back and tail almost dragging behind me. 

Opening the door, Skeet regards me with the hint of an amused smile. “Don’t act so happy, Fluffy. You’ll scare the children.”

“Oh shut up, Burrower,” comes my growled reply, glaring at him as I make my way past him and into the main room filled with my new...team…

The word disgusts me even when I think about it. 

Mariah regards me with a wide grin, winking at me and walking toward the open door with that magical chest we brought with us before. “Looking snazzy, foxy~” she croons, and my blood boils. She must have noticed my expression, for she busts out in obnoxious laughter echoing in the tiny room even when she steps outside into the freezing winter ‘wonderland.’ 

Snickering, I turn my head and notice Valerian standing next to the couch, equipping his belt. Hanging from its side is the Sword of Kings...I can tell from the ornate handle gleaming as it catches my eye. He shouldn’t have it. 

“Good morning, Calamity,” he greets with an annoyingly charming smile...it’s much too friendly to be real...It has to be. 

Muttering under my breath, I regard him with the twitch of my whiskers. “Good morning…”

As he clips his belt, I notice his style of armor. I haven’t seen him in it before...or even the style. It’s unique, to say the least. With dark purple metal platings over the wrists, shoulders, chest, and other vital points, where there should be theoretically chain mail is instead...some sort of weird black pattern… It...looks like scales, to be honest. 

I think he notices my intrigue with his armor, and he smirks knowingly as he hits his knuckles against the metal covering over his left shoulder. “Dragonian armor. It’s made of dragon scales...You can still move around freely while still taking a butt-ton of damage. Can’t get better standard armor, AND it’s perfect for us Storm wizards.”

“How so?” I can’t help but ask, and as much as I hate him, I’d have to be stupid not to appreciate good armor. 

“Well, the problem with a lot of outfits for wizards is that they’re typically made of cloth, and while they can be enchanted to resist heat and catching on fire, they make bad conductors. We Storm wizards have lots of energy in us that we need to move around freely when the time comes. But I keep leather boots with enchanted rubber soles so I don’t end up grounding myself out, haha.” He rubs the back of his head with that same cheeky expression, and I can tell he likes explaining it. Nevermind that, he’s a member of the male species regardless. They enjoy talking about themselves. 

“I see…” To be honest, I don’t really care about the magical properties of his armor. It sort of seems like a waste for such good equipment to be wasted on a wizard...and him no less. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Magic stuff. Would you rather I just answer your questions like that: magic stuff?” he sighs, somewhat crestfallen by my indifference. “Ya know, the least you can say is: that’s cool.”

“That’s cool,” is my retort just before Baba Yaga comes cackling in. 

“Ah~ It’s been forever since I’ve seen you in that outfit, dearie~ Oh, the memories~” she cooes, waddling up to us and flashing a holey grin at us. 

Valerian stoops down to her level to embrace her in a hug as she pats him on the back. “I wish you wouldn’t have to.”

“Oh, you’re still handsome just the same,” chuckles the old woman, pulling away to pinch his cheek playfully. “Just promise me you’ll come back sometime soon in something else other than this or bandages. Oh! And no coffins allowed unless you’re bringing that no-good rotten mino-ass in it. What was his name again?”

“Valkoor?”

“Ah yes! That’s the one~” Baba giggles, shaking her staff at him before poking him in the chest. “Now hop to it!”

“Haha, yes ma’am.” Valerian steps back with the nod of his head and turns toward the door just as Angel walks in.

“We’re ready,” he states blandly, and Valerian smiles before placing a hand on the hilt of the Sword of Kings and striding toward the Balance wizard. 

“All right. Here we go again…”

As Skeet follows the white haired wizard out the door, I catch sight of Baba Yaga dabbing a tear out of the corner of her eye. 

I stop on my way out the door, swallowing before spinning on my heel to face the old witch. “Thank you for everything…” I manage, looking away as I can’t bear to look a witch in the eye and say those words. 

“O-oh, no problem dearie. Ju-just, take care of them will you? They’re my babies. Make sure they come home soon,” she sniffles, pulling out a bandana and blowing her nose. 

I wince as she starts to break into hysterics, and that expression plastered to my face now, I awkwardly reach out to pat her large mound of hair with my paw. What else am I supposed to do? This wasn’t part of my training…

“Um...uh...There...there…”

With a loud wail, she suddenly embraces me, arms wrapping around my legs as she buries her face into my stomach. Hands hovering over her and eyes wide, I have no clue what to do. 

Do...Do I keep patting her head? Do I push her away?

I-I mean...I...I don’t…

Eh…

“Mama Yaga, don’t cry,” comes a soft voice, and I look back toward my savior. 

Oh thank Artorius...It’s Scarlet...

The Death witch pads over quietly toward the nettlesome old woman, pulling her away from me and holding the wrinkled face between her gloved palms. Wiping away a few tears, she smiles and crouches down to Baba Yaga’s level. “Don’t cry. We’ll be home faster than you can say Ghoul.”

“O-Okay…” she manages, sniffing as the two embrace for what seems the longest time. Head resting on each other’s shoulders, and a gloved hand rubbing the Myth witch’s back, I can’t help but shift uncomfortably at the scene. I feel...really...undeniably...uncomfortable. Do I leave? Do I stay? 

Eventually, Scarlet parts from the shorter and stands, booping her on the nose before heading toward the door. I follow suit without any hesitation this time...just in case the old witch starts bawling her eyes out again. 

As I shut the door behind me, I can vaguely hear Baba Yaga’s broken voice.

_ ”Ghoul.” _

 

**XXX**

 

The ride to New Penguinonia was uneventful at most. Leaving Olen with Baba Yaga, we each rode our respected mounts...except Mory who rode with Valerian and Vanessa on Noel up above and myself who found a place with Rekesh. 

There was a lot of snow...and cold...and silence...

Long story short, the most action I experienced was my shivering.

However, when we reached the city streets, I couldn’t help but let out a pleased sigh. It felt so good to go from the never-ending fields of snow and isolation to something more...I don’t know...familiar.

Yeah, it’s still as cold as the rest of Polaris, but it’s nice to see civilization...cobblestone paths, tall buildings, people walking all over the town selling wares and bidding hello and adieu to one another like one would to a close neighbor. In a way, it reminds me of Upper Caer Lyon...minus the snow...and penguins...and the smell of fish and whatnot. 

We’d dismounted at the edge of the city, and I recall Vanessa using some sort of odd magic before they all shrunk and walked into that weird chest I remember Mariah carrying out earlier. Seriously, the ridiculous things wizards come up with…

Now, we’re walking through the streets of New Penguinonia, and I let my eyes wander the icy streets in admittedly...fascination. Things are so different outside of Avalon...before I left on my quest for revenge, I’d only left one time to Mooshu to further some of my training with a friend of my brother’s. To think that the universe is so vast and diverse…

“We’ll stop here for a little while before we try going through the world door,” Valerian announces, and I follow his gaze to the quaint little building in front of us. To the right is a tiny wooden sign with the words: ‘Inn of the Midnight Sun.’

As we enter, I shiver in pleasure at the warmth that seems to welcome me inside like a good, old friend. I haven’t felt this sort of warmth in a while, and I notice the source from the heating stove on the nearby wall. 

Tables take up the main floor, penguins, bears, and walkrusks all gathered around the room in harmony as they all eat...some sort of strange substance in a bowl...I’ve never seen the likes of that food before, but the smell is enough to make my mouth water. Across the room, a penguin with glasses, a hat, and a dirty apron is wiping out the inside of a mug, holding it up periodically to check its cleanliness. 

At first, he doesn’t notice Valerian as the Storm wizard approaches him, but when he sits down on the stool and asks, “Got any Stroganoff left for an old friend?”, the penguin freezes and reluctantly raises his head before a look of both shock and excitement blossoms on his face. 

“Ah! Moy drug! It has a while!” he exclaims, setting his rag and mug aside to step out from behind the counter and embrace the wizard’s face between both flippers. Kissing each others cheeks in greeting, I grimace but choose not to say anything at the...odd exchange. Why would someone...w-what? I don’t...okay?

“It’s good to see you, Gorbeau,” Valerian chuckles, and he stands up straight as the other members of the team step forward. 

“Gorbeau!” Mariah shrieks, dancing on her tiptoes over to him as she does the same greeting. 

The elder penguin laughs and pats her on the cheek. “Ah, lovely as ever, Kukla~ Oh, and I see you brought your lovely little drug here.” He gestures to Scarlet who blushes, and he takes her hand to peck a kiss at her knuckles. As he looks around, he notices Vanessa who’s standing behind me with the same sour look on her face. “And how could I forget moy knyaginya?”

At the weird name, Vanessa blanches before a spot of color starts to appear on her cheeks, and she mumbles. “You know not to address me as such. It is an old title.”

Gorbeau takes her hand as well, kissing it with a soft laugh. “Ah, but I can still dream of Penguinonia with your blessing, as we all dream of Imperial Polaria. I do miss your father awfully.”

Vanessa swallow at his statement, shifting in the first sign of uncomfortableness and just...humanity I have seen in the Ice witch. However, I’m more focused on the food and the warmth...and I lick my chops at the thought of eating a nice meal and snuggling in a warm bed. Baba Yaga’s was still chilly...and the bed took forever to warm with body heat…

“Ah, is anyone hungry? I’ll cook you so Stroganoff and put some meat on your bones. You seem much too skinny. Gorbeau here will whip you up something hearty!”

Angel shakes his head, stepping forward and crushing my dreams with every word he speaks. “No, we’re not here for the food.”

With a sigh, the penguin shakes his head and looks to the ground as he sults (my inner feelings right now). “I thought so. So, you’re not here to visit old drug...I had the feeling. Come, we talk about it in the back.”

Forlornly, I follow the group through the back door into another room, my mouth feeling dry and stomach calling out to me in protest. Why...why can’t I just have one bite? It’s not fair…

As he welcomes us into the substantially darker room, the wizards sit around the table in the center, and Gorbeau waddles over to throw another log in the hearth across the room. I reluctantly stand against the wall, crossing my arms over my bosom as I take it all in. 

“So, what is it this time? It has been two years, has it not, since I last laid eyes on all your beautiful faces. But methinks that this is not for a friendly visit between druz’ya,” he begins, walking to the table to sit down between Angel and Mariah. 

The ginger sighs, shaking her head and resting her cheek against her knuckles--elbow propped on the table. “I wish.”

“Have you heard the rumors about Ravenwood?” Angel asks, speaking up and looking to the small creature on his left. 

“There is not much Gorbeau doesn’t hear. I have heard the rumors. But I thought that that was what they were: rumors. Are you saying differently?” Confusion is evident in his voice, and his brow furrows as he glances at Vanessa in confirmation. 

She nods. “They are true. Ravenwood has been utterly destroyed...and majority of the teachers and students...murdered.”

Gorbeau takes off his hat, scratching the top of his bald head and closing his eyes. “I see...Then it is true...The Ministry has returned then…”

Valerian nods somberly, lacing his fingers together and pressing them against his lips even as he speaks. “Yeah. You know what that means, Gorbeau. We’re in need of you again.”

“Ah, moy drug, these ears might not hear as well as they used to, but for you, I would what you call ‘sign language’ with my flippers. ‘You treat Gorbeau good, Gorbeau treat you better,’ that’s Midnight Sun motto. It will be done, moy drug. Ask me any question, and Gorbeau tell you everything you want to know, but just-”

“-for a small fee?” Valerian guesses with a small, knowing smirk, and the penguin returns it with a deep nod. 

“Ay, never change, moy drug,” he chuckles, waving the tip of his flipper at him. 

“How much are you asking for?” Angel inquires, and the blue haired wizard takes out his machete and a sharpening stone, the metal grating against the rock at a pitch that makes my ears flatten in response. 

The penguin regards the Miragian wizard cautiously for a moment, and I think I can see him swallow even from where I stand. “Well...first time...free...second time...15?”

“15,000 gold pieces?” I blurt, blinking in surprise. That’s about the cost of a good suit of armor or a master-crafted sword. 

“Yes? And who is this?” he asks, regarding me with suspicion. I’m frankly amazed that he didn’t ask about me sooner. “A merc?”

“This is our guide and a newfound friend, is all. Val picked her up when she tried to kill him,” Mariah says nonchalantly, waving it off as if what she said wasn’t a big deal. 

“Ah, that is how true friends are made. Welcome to the family, lisa,” he says, standing from his chair and coming toward me with his flippers in the air. “Come down here, so I may greet you properly.”

Reluctantly, I crouch toward his level, and he grabs either side of my face, kissing each cheek. But I wouldn’t be caught dead doing it back…

“I am Gorbeau, innkeeper here and master Stroganoff chef,” introduces the penguin, and he steps back to look up at me. 

“Calamity Dragonbane...Knight…” I mutter, and I try to look anywhere else in the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the smirk on Valerian’s face, and I just want to slap it into the hearth. 

“Oh, a knight? I like knights.” The innkeeper nods appreciatively before grabbing my paw and pulling me toward the door. “You must be hungry from your travels, liba. Come. One of my ofitsiantki will get you some Stronganoff to warm those little bones of yours.”

Stumbling after him, I can’t really complain. Food. Yes. Sweet food...At least someone here gets me. 

“Oh, thank you…” I manage as he steps aside and lets me walk through the door and into the main area of the inn, I turn around to with a paw raised to ask if it is on the house…

Only to have a door slammed in my face.

…

How am I supposed to pay for my food?

  
  


**XXX**

 

**Translation for this Chapter in appearing order:**

Drug/druz’ya=Friend/Friends (pronounced “Droog”)

Kukla=Doll

Knyaginya=Princess

Lisa=Fox

Ofitsiantki=Waitresses


	26. Negotiations

An eerie light flickers from the lone candelabra situated in the center of a long, narrow table. Two kings sit upon either end, eyes locked in silent study as the nearby knights standing firmly near the only two exits watch with suspicious anticipation. 

The great bear king locks gazes with the horned king across the way, sitting in front of the hearth glowing with its hearty flame and casting long shadows over the already dark and heady room. Food sits untouched upon the wooden surface of the table, and neither king bothers with paying it any mind for their attention is locked solely on the other. 

A sly grin decorates the pale face of the Death King, and he tilts his head to the left as his long fingers trace the rim of his wine glass. “What an honor to be sitting at a table with you, your Highness. I never thought I’d get the pleasure of meeting you face-to-face...Artorius.”

“Likewise, I never thought that I would be sitting at the same table as you, Valkoor Ashblood, spawn of the God of Death and reaper of innocent souls,” states the bear king, and he refrains from wrinkling his snout at the thought.  

“Valkoor would suffice,” chuckles the ivory haired wizard, shrugging slightly as he reaches for a fork and stabs a slab of stag. 

However, Artorius doesn’t follow suit, watching his guest eat his meat for several tense moments. His hands are clasped tightly together in front of his nose, and his golden eyes narrow pensively. “Why do you dare show yourself here, Horned King?” 

“Ah, I’m sure you already know, your highness,” Valkoor replies, popping a grape between his lips and smirking as he leans forward and swallows. “You have something that I want.”

“I will not help you in your delusional endeavor,” grunts the bear king, and sits back straight in his chair before continuing. “Avalon will not assist you in your quest for death.”

“Ah, but if you were so sure of that, you wouldn’t have allowed me to dine with you, am I right?” The Death wizard grabs a knife, pointing it at the king with a knowing smirk. “So, what is it that you’re hoping to gain from me being here? Are you thinking you can capture me in your half-ass trap? Hate to break it to you, but I don’t travel alone.”

At that, the bear king stiffens, and even though his face gives nothing away, the way he doesn’t deny the accusation gives away plenty to the other. “What is it that you want?”

“I was hoping for a little cooperation. You have one of the biggest armies in the Spiral, after all.” Valkoor shrugs, leaning back in his chair and nonchalantly placing his boots on the lacquered table. “I was just imagining that I could...reappropriate it for a time.”

At the sight of his boots on the table, one of the nearby guards--a short badger with a big attitude to compensate--dares to step up. “Sir, it would be in your best interests to remove your feet from the table.”

Amber eyes flash his direction, and the badger swallows at the piercing and oddly calm gaze he receives. However, the horned king merely sighs and lowers his feet back to the ground, shrugging it off like its nothing. “Fair enough.”

“Valkoor Ashblood, I have no intention of sharing my army with you or supporting your cause. To do so would be dishonorable and break our alliance with Wizard City. You will see no help from us!” bellows the bear king, slamming his fist on the table. He stands, looking down at the smirking wizard with a snarl. 

“Oh, you Avalonians and your precious honor. Have you no imagination?” Shaking his head, the wizard laces his fingers behind his head and looks with a brow raised toward the bear. “I think you’ve misunderstood our cause. Surely, you know that there is no pure honor in this Spiral. Even you have sinned, noble king.”

“That is a truth we are all bound by,” the king agrees, regarding the other suspiciously. 

Sipping from his wine glass once again, the Death wizard nods and continues. “I wish to make a universe without sin. I wish to make this all anew. Either way, I will succeed. I’m giving you the option to take part in my endeavor...Your options are limited. Submit to me or see yourselves sacrificed to my cause.”

Wrinkling his snout, Artorius lets out a mighty roar, his massive paw sweeping off the silver utensils and food to clatter upon the nearby floor. “This will not stand! We will never bow our heads to scum of your kind!”

The knights around the table draw their weapons, pointing them to the horned king and the pointed blades nearly pressed against his skin. Nevertheless, Valkoor smirks, chuckling as he takes in the nervous energy of the ‘brave’ knights surrounding him. Surely, they know the horror stories of those who dared to oppose him. 

Standing from his seat slowly to prevent startling the knights, he shrugs with both palms facing the ceiling and closes his eyes. “That hurts. It really does. Would you really kill me in such a dishonorable way?”

“I would to protect the sanctity of our kingdom and likewise the Spiral. You are a plague among us all. Did you think we hadn’t received word about what atrocity you committed in Ravenwood?” growls Artorius, striding from his seat and to the Death wizard. He towers over Valkoor, baring his teeth at the other in a rare show of temper. 

“That I committed? I’m sorry. Did nobody tell you? Sorry to disappoint, but that wasn’t me, your majesty,” corrects the wizard, regarding the other with nothing but humility. 

“Then who was it?”

“Hmm, I wouldn’t know,” he states, smirking as he touches one of the many swords with his fingertip and slowly pressed it downward. “To think that you would let your temper get the best of you all over a rumor….Tsk, should we continue our conversation in a more...calm manner?”

The king hesitates, regarding the other with a narrowed gaze. Several bated breaths pass, and eventually, Artorius relents, motioning for his guards to lower their weapons. 

“As you wish…”

A victorious smile graces Valkoor’s tan expression, and he sits back down in his chair, resting his head against the back with a long sigh. “As I was saying, I was hoping for the cooperation from your and your forces. You see, not everyone is open for a new world. It’s understandable, but if Avalon--the epitome of honor and justice--were to stand beside us, perhaps they could be persuaded.”

“I will not give you any support from my army,” mutters the King as he begins back toward his chair, sitting down as he huffs and tries to reign in his frustration. “Avalon will not shed its blood for you.”

“That is fine. You need not shed your own blood. Maybe, I might be interested in just having a bit of an alliance. Just trade some goods...some information...some money.”

At the last word, the king grunts knowingly. “So, that’s what this is all about. You need funding and a political ally.”

With a smile, Valkoor raises his glass to the other and nods. “And now you are getting the picture.”

“How much are we talking? And how would Avalon benefit?”

“Well, I would much rather we talk about that with a bit of...let’s say a mediator. You might be more inclined to help if you had someone here you trusted...Perhaps...a long forgotten ally?

Valkoor snaps his fingers, and on cue, three loud knocks reverberate through the hall. 

The knights tense again, but Artorius shakes his head, now curious as to who could have possibly slipped through his guards. Not even the most skilled wizard could fight their way in…

_ ”Come in.” _

As the large door opens with a squeal of the unoiled hinges, the bear king’s fingertips go numb and his jaw goes slack in disbelief. Eyes flashing a reflecting emerald of the purest nature, he stammers, stands, and falls to one knee. “How...is this possible?”

“It is...really nice to see you again...old friend…” 

“As it is nice to be graced in your undeniable beauty…” greets the king, and he turns his head slowly to the horned king. “An ally long forgotten? I think you were mistaken, Ashblood…-

Triumphantly, Valkoor grins, knowing with a gentle kiss from the king to their guest’s knuckles that he has scored the figurative goal needed to ensure his victory. 

“ _-I…_ ” Artorius murmurs, “ _could never forget._ ”


	27. The Lonely Tower

Vast green spreads out before my eyes, and the cold of Polaris washes away like footprints in the rain. Warmth sinks in, and I shiver out of the familiar pleasure it brings. How long has it been since I felt this warmth? How long has it been since I felt the raw kiss of the sun on my fur?

The answer is: far too long. 

I’ve missed this.

I’ve missed home.

I’ve missed... _ Avalon. _

Stepping through the World Door, I’m flanked by Vanessa and Skeet, the rest of the group already through and basking in the glow of the nigh endless summer sun. I can’t help the small smile on my face as I take in the familiar sight of the stone pillars around the center of Caliburn, knights walking amongst the camp filled with colorful tents of all shapes and sizes. There’s the scent of grass in the wind, something that hasn’t touched my nose in many moons. In the distance, I can make out the shimmering white castle, Ganelon, and the housetops of the towers and homes in both Caer Lyon and the High Road amongst the towering, leafy trees. 

The crashing of the waterfall blends with the chatter of the knights, pages, friars, and wizards alike, and I let out a relaxed sigh.

It feels...so wonderful to be back here again. Even if it is just for the time being...even if the universe itself is in peril...I would be content with spending the rest of my days here. If only reality didn’t stop calling to me. 

“AH! VALERIAN! How good to see you again! Ah! All of you! Welcome to Caliburn again, friends!” greets a familiar voice, and I turn my head to the crustacean guarding the World Door as always--Sir Pike del Lago. With his eyes attached upon two antennas and pinchers crashing his long-handled axe, he makes for an odd picture, especially in Avalon. However, the red-shelled knight is a welcome sight to see. 

“Good to see ya, Pike,” Valerian greets, saluting the other by pressing two fingers to his forehead to gesture toward the knight. Odd, really. 

Mariah skips forward, elbowing the knight in the breastplate. “Still looking as crabby as ever, eh?”

Sir Pike scratches his head in confusion, one eye raising as the other lowers. “What do you mean, crabby?”

“Nothing. She was just shutting up,” Angel interjects, hitting Mariah with the handle of his machete only to grab the back of her collar and drag her off as she’s reeling from the blow. 

“Ow, ow, ow! That hurts!” 

“The probability of that killing you is 1 to a number you can’t even count to…”

“Mhmmph….ru~de~....”

“Hm, anyway, what brings you to-Oh? Is that young Calamity I see?” the crustacean says, his interest peaking as he looks around the group at me. 

I dip my head baskfully, feeling heat in my muzzle as I look way. “Hello, Sir Pike.”

“I was afraid what became of you when you didn’t return. Moreso when Valerian arrived. It is good to see that you have moved on from your anger. Friar Nolan will be proud of-”

“Just because he’s alive doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven him!” I snap, baring my teeth as I look between the other knight and the white haired wizard. “I just haven’t kill him yet!”

He blinks in surprise, his eyelids closing vertically (something that has always thrown me off guard). “Oh...I see…”

“What is all this about?” A grumpy voice I am well acquainted with comes from behind the crustacean, and I swallow as I make out the waddling form of the old badger...Friar Nolan. He’s gotten grumpier over the years; I have the welts from his walking staff to prove it. “Is it more of those Ministry goons? Send them off quickly. I have no respect for their kind he-oh...it’s YOU.”

“Heh, good day, Friar Nolan.”

“A Knight of the Silver Rose? Come back to see our downfall, ‘ave you?” Nolan grumbles; although, I can detect a hint of...fondness in his town that I haven’t heard before. 

“Just thought I’d pay the old place a visit and set things the way they should be,” chuckles Valerian, and the badger waddles over to where he stands to bow his head. 

“It is always a pleasure to see an old Knight of the Silver Rose return,” he greets, leaning on his staff with the slightest hint of a smile. “Even more so for a friend…”

“Hello, Nolan…” Skeet greets, nodding toward the other respectfully, in which the friar returns. 

“It is good to see such familiar faces, but why have you returned? Is this to do with Ministry?”

Scarlet nods, and Valerian speaks up. “We heard that they were trying to create an alliance with Avalon...We hope we can intervene.”

Both Sir Pike and Friar Nolan shake their heads, and it is Sir Pike that speaks for the both of them. “I am afraid that you are too late. The King signed for an alliance two days ago.”

“Those mongrels have already moved into Caer Lyon, and the King stands to hold a ball in their honor and that of a special guest in a week,” adds the badger, and Skeet frowns as he exchanges glances with Valerian. 

“A special guest? Not Ministry then?”

Sir Pike shrugs, and the friar shakes his head in his loss for words. Pinchers scratching his jaw, the crustacean hums. “They never tell us anything. Not even me. Apparently, even Gwendolyn won’t tell us...but one thing’s for certain, whoever that person is, they’ve persuaded all of the powers of Avalon to side with the Ministry.”

Someone...has managed to take over...Ganelon? The Ministry is now in Caer Lyon? Does that mean...Avalon has been...stolen right from under our noses? How could...Artorius allow this to happen?!   
We all fall silent in shock, and I turn away as I look over Caliburn again. Everything looks the same...but knowing what I know now, I can now make out the forlorn faces of the knights...the way there aren’t any pages or children running around. Not even the birds sing. 

There’s a silent dread that’s swept over Caliburn, and if I hadn’t looked for it, I wouldn’t have noticed it. It’s a snake in tall grass...and every step we take, the closer we get to an inevitable death. 

“Then we’ll talk with the King. Surely, there must be a reason for all of this!” Mariah exclaims, having broke free from Angel’s grasp, and she slashes her arm through the air in defiance. “We’ll head straight to Ganelon and give His Royal Majesty a talking to!”   


Friar Nolan sighs. “No one has been able to reach him. No letters or messengers can make it past the Ministry in Caer Lyon. Even Sir Pike has tried.”

“If we tried to fight through Caer Lyon, it is highly likely that we would either die or waste too much time. There must be an alternative route,” examines the Balance wizard, leaning against one of the stone pillars with his arms crossed. 

“What about the Wild?” Mariah suggests, pressing her knuckle against her chin and her other hand resting on her hip. 

Angel shakes his head. “It is likely that the Ministry will have already blocked off all known paths to Ganelon. They will have anticipated our arrival.”

“What about uncharted paths? It’s the Wild. There must be other ways to get through,” Valerian points out, and Angel shakes his head. 

“The probability of us surviving in the uncharted Wild is one in seven-hundred,” calculates the blue-haired wizard, and he’s not wrong. The Wild is an unforgiving place. Sure, there’s areas cleared out for us knights to traverse through, but very few are able to survive more than two or three nights outside the path. Dragons, hobgoblins, deadly serpents, and creatures of all kinds lurk in the shadows.

Brother taught me that when he taught me how to survive out there. He used to say that any good knight is a prepared knight. However, I haven’t been in the Wild in a long time…

“There’s got to be a way,” Mariah murmurs, and her brows furrow as looks toward the towering castle on the horizon.  

Skeet hums in thought before he gasps and snaps his fingers together. “Aha! But it could be possible with a guide!” 

“A guide? There aren’t many people who know how to live out there…” Sir Pike says, obviously confused by both his tone and the way his eyes are squinting like that… “That’s mostly exclusive to Knights of the Silver Rose and Knights of the High Road. There’s only one knight I know of that’s got the knowledge and the youth to help you, but she’s gone off elsewhere...Something about tracking down some wizards for revenge. She probably won’t help you. She’s got a bit of a grudge against you. I mean, you killing her brother and all. I would say it’s a lost cause…”

And just like that, all eyes are on me. 

That….that  _idiot_!

I grit my teeth, flattening my ears as I growl at them all. Who says I’ll help them get through that mess?! Surely, I won’t. 

_ ”No.” _

“Is that you, Lady Calamity?” Friar Nolan peeks around Valerian, and I feel instantly small under his scrutinizing gaze. 

“Hello...Friar…” I manage, looking away as the old badger huffs and storms up to me. 

“Are you denying this wizards help because of a grudge?” he booms, shaking his staff at me as I turn my head farther away.    
“Well...I-” That’s all I can get out. Even though he’s half my height now, I’m not safe.

Whacking me in the knee with his staff, I let out a yelp and fall down only to be hit in the noggin as per protocol. Holding my head in my hands, I can only manage “ow” before he grabs my ear and growls. “The fate of your kingdom is at stake, and you’re letting us all down because of a meaningless grudge you have against one wizard?! This is the Savior of the Spiral and a Knight of the Silver Rose. Show some respect, you ungrateful knight. I shouldn’t have let you become anything more than a squire! Now let bygones be bygones and get these wizards to Ganelon before I knock some more sense into you!”

“Y-yes, Friar Nolan,” I whine, rubbing my head as he lets go of my ear and faces the wizards with a small smile.    
“Please let me know if my pupil causes anymore trouble for you.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Valerian smirking behind his hand, trying to contain his laughter, and it takes every ounce of patience I have to keep from losing my self-control and killing him where he stands. 

Fine. I’ll lead them through the Wild. I’ll take them to Ganelon and save Avalon. After the Ministry is gone...After my world is safe….I will kill him.

 

**Xxx**

 

“So um...Friar Nolan, huh? He doesn’t like you much does he?” Valerian asks, walking behind me with his arms crossed and a smug smile on his face. 

We haven’t even left Caliburn for more than five minutes, and he’s already asking me stupid questions. 

“Shut up.”

“Have you ever, I don’t know, tried being nice to people? That might get you a bit farther in life you know…”

“Shut up.”

“I’m just saying. Oh, quick question, do you happen to like jelly? I love jelly. Put some of that shit on toast. Just saying. Best. Invention. Ever.”

_ ”SHUT UP!” _

I turn on my heel, and claws unsheathed, I swipe them through the air toward his face. He dodges with a smile on his face, only leaning back as they slash harmlessly through the air in front of him. 

Vanessa begins to draw her bow, but Mariah waves her off with a smirk as she too appears to be enjoying my suffering. 

“Nice claws you got there. Ever thought about getting them painted?”

“UGH!” I snarl at the Storm wizard and rolls my eyes, continuing on my coarse toward the High Road. 

“I’m just saying. You know, you should really try an anger management class. I hear anger is really bad for your health.”

“Do you EVER shut up?” I mutter, eye starting to twitch like my claws, and tail swishing violently behind me. 

Valerian hums for a long while...a pitch that honestly makes me want to tear my ears off...and then chuckles. “Not really. Do YOU ever shut up?”

“Do you want to die today, wizard?”

“Do you want to die today, foxie?” mocks the Storm wizard, and let out a yowl of fury. 

“HOLY ARTORIUS! WHY ARE YOU SO INFURIATING!” I scream, turning around again as I jab a pointed claw in his direction. 

The white haired wizard thinks for a moment and shrugs, walking past me as he pats me on the shoulder. “Why are you so tense all the time? Lighten up. Enjoy life. You’re going to get white hairs that way.”

“Oh! And YOU’RE one to talk!” I yell after him, and behind me, I hear a small giggle. 

Looking over my shoulder, I can see the small smile on Scarlet’s face, and it’s mirrored on Mariah’s face as the redhead wraps an arm around the smaller and guides her past me. “Oh, lighten up. You make my hot-headed temper seem like a one-pip heckhound.”

What the hell is she talking about?!

Vanessa only glares at me as she follows, and Angel just goes on by without anything on that always stoic face. He scares me as much as Vanessa does...I can never tell what he’s thinking. 

Skeet stops beside me, smiling at me fondly. “Welcome to the group, Calamity. When Valerian starts pestering you, you know you’re one of us.”

“I don’t want to be one of you,” I hiss, and my eyes narrow as I contemplate snapping his remaining antler like a twig. 

“Hey! Where are we going, guide?” Valerian calls, and I sigh as I trudge toward the awaiting wizards up ahead. 

We’re standing at the beginning of the High Road, and everything is like is in Caliburn...familiar with the touch of silent dread. Not even the hobgoblins roam the road anymore, and the owls that once lived around seemed to have deserted if they aren’t locked inside their homes...It’s as if all the life has be sucked out of it. 

I look along the stone pathway, following the winding, waving road with my eyes until I see it...the tower standing proudly above all others…

“The Lonely Tower…” I mutter, walking ahead only a few steps. “There’s a line from there to a small cottage in the Wild...It crosses over the river...It’s the only way to get there now…”

“Why can’t we just cross the river?” Angel asks, looking at me with a suspicious gaze, and I can understand his scrutiny. I would be too…

“The river is too fast, wide, and deep to cross. Not even fish can live in there. We’d get swept up and drowned before we even got halfway. Now that the entrance from Caer Lyon is blocked, that line is the only way to get into the Wild.”

“Why didn’t we just take the Portal in Caliburn?” Mariah mutters, obviously a little offput by the notion of heights. 

“They’ll be expecting that,” Angel points out, and he nods in my direction. “Very well then. Let us see this zipline.”

I notice Valerian’s frown, and I smile at his uncomfortableness the slightest bit. “Are you afraid of heights too?”

“No...You said the Lonely Tower? It just sounds familiar, that’s all.”

“It should be…” I mutter, walking toward the yellow-white building as the smile falls from my face and my expression darkens. “That’s my home...where you killed my brother…”

_ ”...Oh…” _


	28. Breath of the Wild

The tower is...just like I remember it. Books line the shelves lining the tower and following the spiral staircase to its eventual destination far beyond where the eye can see. 

I haven’t touched this place since he died. 

Even the stain of where he once lay still mars the wooden floor at my feet, and I stare at it for a moment in tense silence as the wizards tentatively enter through the door behind me. I can feel their eyes on me...the suspicion emanating from Vanessa is as thick as the odor in the air--the stale scent of old books, dust, and mold. As Valerian steps beside me, he stares at the scarred wood beneath us too. His bangs cast a long shadow over his eyes, and he doesn’t bother saying a word. 

Good. It saves me the trouble. 

“We need to get to the top. Come on…” I mutter, choosing to ignore stirring feelings deep within. There’s a hurt...a deep hurt...and as I force myself to take the agonizing climb up the creaking path, I can’t help the burning sensation in my eyes...or the lump beginning to form in my throat.

Memories…

Memories everywhere…

In the nicks on the old banister...the familiar titles of books that catch my eye...the way that third step creaks just a little louder than the others…

It’s funny the things you miss…

For the longest time, I’ve thought about burning this forsaken place to the ground...but I’ve never been able to bring myself to. 

“How many st-stairs are there?” I hear Mariah ask from the back of the group as we begin the last quarter of our journey, and I turn my head to see the Fire witch grabbing the railing with white knuckles, her knees shaking as her eyes fix solely on the ground. 

“Enough to where you’ll fall if you die,” I mutter, and I smirk as any color in her face immediately drains. Not paying her anymore mind, I continue up my way as I hear Scarlet trying to quietly comfort her. 

It would be a shame if someone pushed her...

“O-okay...thanks...for that…” the redhead manages, and we continue with our ascent. 

A bright light welcomes us as we reach the top, and I can hear Scarlet gasp as she reaches the balcony. 

“It’s so beautiful…” she murmurs, hands clasped together as she steps toward the rail and leaves her partner shaking at the doorway. 

“I-I’ll just look from here…”

Valerian strides out after Scarlet, looking around with that tiny little stupid smile on his face like always, and he nods appreciatively. “This is nice...Really, this is pretty cool.”

“The view is definitely one of the most intriguing that I have seen in some time,” Angel agrees, crossing his arms as he leans against the railing. 

I follow their gaze over the Avalonian landscape, fields of green stretching on for miles, and sun-kissed trees waving in the distance. As I look over the edge, I follow the river’s trail below, the current cutting through the land like a mighty dragon of life, breathing life into this vibrant land. To my left, I look up at the sturdy, metal line stretching from the top of the tower to the secluded yellow cottage across the river in the trees below. 

Testing it with my paw, the line doesn’t give way, even after all these years. It should do...for our purposes at least. But going down this line means that there’s no going back...I could always send them down there and stick behind...let them fend for themselves in the wild and take pleasure in knowing that I inadvertently killed the wizards…

But then my kingdom would be controlled by those other wizards...my king and queen held as hostages...my people oppressed...the peace of this gentle land destroyed...and my vows to uphold my duties completely shattered. 

“Are we going yet? We don’t have time for any internal monologue you’re having over there,” hisses Vanessa, and she storms past me to look toward the cottage that is our destination. “So, we’re going down there?”

“Yes,” I mutter, casting her an irritated glare to say the very least. Even if I couldn’t kill Valerian, killing her would bring me much joy. 

Angel joins her, inspecting the line with those meticulous, pointed hazel eyes. “The line appears to be in good tact. We should have no difficulty in crossing.”

“Wh-why aren’t we just flying across?” Mariah asks, still pressed back against the wall near the door. 

“That’s too obvious...and the chances of someone spotting us are too high...Valkoor would see it coming anyway…” Valerian points out, and he glances over at me as he touches my shoulder. “Besides, it wouldn’t be as fun. Right, Calamity?”

“.... _Right_ …”

The distaste on my tongue is as apparent as Vanessa’s mistrust in me. 

“Come on! Let’s go!” he chimes, drawing his sword and swinging it over the line to hold the blade in one hand and the hilt on the other in a sort of make-shift handle. Flashing a smile back at me, he lets out a woot before running off the edge of the platform and sliding down the line toward the woods. 

Angel watches his descent, and then soon follows suit with his machete. 

Show offs...really. 

“Come on…” I can hear Scarlet’s sigh behind me, and I turn my head to see the white haired witch trying to coax Mariah out of her tight grip on the doorframe. 

“I-I think I’d rather swim…” she breathes, shaking her head quickly as her body trembles. 

“You can just hold onto me,” offers the Death witch, and Mariah lets out a sharp inhale as Scarlet takes her hand and leads her slowly toward the edge. 

Holding out her hand, she whispers something under her breath, and a long shadow elongates from Scarlet’s palm, slowly manifesting into her long-handled scythe. The curved blade grins at me, and I regard it with nothing but scorn. 

I remember that scythe a little too well...and there’s a phantom pain in my chest…It really quite a mystery how someone of her size can wield something so large and heavy with ease. I’d hate to challenge her in a contest of brute strength. 

Maneuvering the handle over the line, Scarlet beckons for Mariah to come forth, and the Fire witch tentatively wraps her arms around the other. 

“Hold on…”

A shrill scream pierces the air as Scarlet kicks off the platform, and the squall follows them all the way down as the redhead flails her legs above the body of water below. 

If they fall, I’m not going in after them. They’re as good as dead.

As they disappear into the treeline unharmed (unfortunately), that leaves me alone up here…

The wind brushes over my fur, and a leaf catches my eye as it flies by in a flurry of green. I made a vow to uphold the peace of Avalon...if these wizards are my only hope...then...for now...I will set aside my loathing until the day I can finally get my revenge…

Without another thought, I grab the handle at the top of the line and let out a deep breath. It’s now or never…

With a running start, I leap off the edge of the platform, picking up my feet and letting the wind rush against me as I speed through the air toward the old yellow cabin. Fur rippling and tongue lolling from the pressure, I straighten out my legs as the ground quickly rushes to greet me. The roar of the river below fills my ears before the wind eventually drowns everything out. 

As I make sight of the wizards below straightening themselves out in the clearing, I let go of the handle and tumble several feet, head over tail until I land on my feet, claws digging into the soil. 

Ah...soil….so much better on the claws than snow and ice. 

“Nice landing,” Valerian praises, holding out a hand to help me up like I’m some princess who just happened to trip over the hem of her dress. But I’m no damsel.

Standing on my own, I glare first at his hand...and then at that repulsively innocent face. “Any landing where you don’t die is a good landing.”

“Heh, yeah...guess you’re right…” chuckles the Storm wizard nervously, and he backs off at my heated look. At least he isn’t as stupid as he looks. 

“So...this is the Wild?” Scarlet asks, looking around at the tall pine trees with wide, amber eyes. She lets her weapon dissipate to wherever it came from, and she turns her head toward the overgrown cottage, but doesn’t say anything...merely regarding it with an innate curiosity. 

“Just the outskirts. We’ll have to track through the woods themselves and stay off the main path...Valkoor will have predicted that we’d come through here, but there’s a 95% that most wizards he’ll send will stick to the main road,” assesses Angel, sheathing his machete and brushing blue bangs from his face. “Calamity, how far of a travel will it take to get to Ganelon if we continue through the wilderness and stay off any main paths?”

“Probably three days...give or take.” It sounds about right in my head...Five days is what it took with Brother...scouting out safer ways to travel should we ever need a backroad to get to the King in the event of something like this. With their strength and our numbers, we should be able to get there a little faster…

“The sun will set in about a half hour...We might as well set up camp here and have a fresh start in the morning,” Valerian states, and the others nod in agreement. I notice that Mariah has calmed down at this point, busy trying to make her braid a little more...appealing. 

“Sounds good to me...but shouldn’t we be...I dunno...staying inside the perfectly good cabin?” she asks, pointing to the tattered cottage. The yellow paint is starting to peel off the bricks, windows broken and ivy growing up the side. However, the roof is still...mostly intact. “Well...maybe not perfectly good…”

“No…” I hiss, baring my teeth. “It’s...not for wizards…”

“It’s not specifically for wizards, or you just don’t want us to go in there because you’re a selfish brat?” Vanessa growls, and we lock glares. Frost begins to coat the grass at her feet, and I can feel an unwelcome chill emanating from the Ice witch. 

A hand rests on Vanessa’s shoulder, and Angel shakes his head. “It is unwise to start a fight with our only guide. Now that we’re here, I would recommend not killing our only chance for survival.”

Yeah...that’s right, witch. I’m the only way you’re going to get out of here alive, and I have no problem with killing you on the way and making it look like an accident. If only you could read minds…

She snickers, walking past me toward the door. “Fine, but we’re staying inside. I am not sleeping in the open out here…” 

**“NO!”**

But I’m too late, she opens the door without hesitation, and a yellow sigil flashes at her feet. A loud horn echoes through the trees, birds flying from their perches in a frenzy, and afterward, the whole forest goes still...even the wizards. 

“What...was that?” Mariah asks, eyes wide as she looks around and frozen in place. 

Those imbeciles...

Swallowing, I flatten my ears and look to the trees. “Run, you idiots.” 

I don’t even bother looking back as I sprint in the opposite direction, plowing through brush and doing my utmost not to catch my foot on anything. Vaguely, I can hear the drumming of boots behind me; which basically means that the wizards actually listened to something I said without question. 

Jumping over a large root, a hollow tree catches my eye, and I inspect it as carefully as I can as I run toward it. There doesn’t appear to be any deadly fungus on it...and it looks uninhabited...enough...Whatever, it’s better than being roasted and eaten alive. 

Sliding into the hollow, I make my way up the middle of the tree as quickly as I can. As I run out of foot holds, I press my back against the trunk, walking myself up sideways. Below are the labored breaths of the wizards, and I don’t care to see who all is with us. If anyone turned to face that monster, I’m sure not even they could handle it. Dammit, why didn’t they listen to me?!   
Pulling myself out of the topless, dead tree, I peer around...Coast seems to be clear...and it’s quiet...a little bit too quiet, if you ask me. 

Crouching down, I slink along the dead branches, making my way toward another tree...a taller tree. The further we are from the ground, the better...It’s eyesight isn’t very good...and I don’t think it’ll bother looking up…

“What are we running from?” I can hear Vanessa’s grumble as she hauls herself to the top of the tree and stands…

“Get down!” Hissing, I bare my teeth in warning. If that thing hears us, we’re as good as dead. 

She doesn’t listen, pulling out her bow and drawing an arrow with a determined glare. “Whatever it is, I’d rather turn and face it.”

“This isn’t something you face, now get DOWN!”

Skeet steps up, raising his finger in protest as he stays pressed to the branch, fear obvious in his deep brown eyes. “I-I think it would be a good idea to listen to h-her…”

“I can handle whatever it is. Especially, if it’s a dragon,” boasts the Ice witch in that same, snotty-nosed, annoyingly monotone...cold...indifferent...infuriating voice she always seems to have. 

“It’s not a dragon! Shut up!” I stand to take several steps to her, my temper lost as I reach out to cover her mouth with my hand. 

Rolling her eyes, she opens her mouth to say, “Then what is-”...when the tree branch snaps out from under us. Screams reverberate through the forest air as we plummet to the ground. 

I land on my back in the brush below with a grunt, ears ringing as the world spins for several moments. Groans eventually reach my ears once the ringing dies down, and I tentatively raise my head to make out the bodies around me. One...two...three...six...good...we’re all here. 

Surely, the beast would have heard our screams...Then where..?

Oh... _shit_ …

“What...is that thing..?” I can hear the terror in Skeet’s voice as he too sees the creature creeping toward through the brush…

At first...it’s only a shadow...a vague silouhette through the bushes and trees...Until that grotesque head of a man breaks through...surrounded by a lion’s crown...body giving way to that of a powerful lion...claws nearly as long as my entire body…

Green eyes lock on Mariah, and the redhead is frozen as she stares up at the creature...drooling dripping from its massive fangs...and I think she nearly faints as she finally sees the tail swishing languidly behind it...the stinger of a scorpion’s tail gleaming at its target. 

”Manticore... _Run_!” I yell, gathering all of my strength as I scramble to my feet and take off again in a dead sprint, adrenaline pumping through the tired muscles in my thighs...I can’t remember the last time I ran this quickly…

Ducking under a branch, I look around for the nearest place to hide...there has to be somewhere...there has to be somewhere…

A scream pierces my hearing, and I glance over my shoulder as I make out Mariah tripping. She falls to the ground with a thud, and as she crawls away in recovery, that sound of agony as one of those hooked claws meet the flesh of her leg. I stop in my tracks at the sight, eyes wide. 

Do...I keep running and trust that the others will save her? There’s nothing I can do. I don’t have a weapon; they wouldn’t trust me with one. 

An icy arrow flies through the air to strike the manticore in the side of the face, and had it not had as thick of a skull as it does, then it would have been an instant-kill headshot...But arrows won’t work on a beast of terror like this…

It lets out an angry roar, baring its teeth, and a glob of drool rolls off its tongue and lands on the squirming redhead below. Glancing at Vanessa--who’s standing on a tree...staring at the creature in shock--it assesses the situation...and I guess it didn’t think she was much of a threat because it turns away, lunging to finish off the screaming Fire witch. A dart of black breaks through the corner of my vision, and I helplessly watch as Scarlet raises her scythe above her head, swinging it down toward the manticore’s skull…

My warning doesn’t reach her in time as the scythe uselessly pierces only the skin of the beast, and the lion-like creature bats her out of the air with a mighty swing of its giant paw. Even from where I stand, I can hear the cracking of her bones as she smacks into a tree and limply falls onto her front, the scythe clattering on the ground beside Mariah. 

“SCARLET!” Her sobbing cry sends shivers through my pelt, and I swallow as I see the pale hand reach toward her fallen partner. Gritting her teeth, she holds her palm back blindly toward the manticore’s face and growls. “Blaze!”

Fire lights the hair of the lion’s mane, torching it and smoke rolling off it in waves. The manticore growls as it steps back, effectively dragging the Fire witch that is impaled on his claw with him. Grabbing onto a root, she manages to break free of the claw at the cost of further ripping her thigh open, and Mariah lets out a pitiful whimper as she scrambles blindly away, merely focused on escaping this nightmare. 

Furious, the manticore rolls on the ground, putting out the fire in only a short amount of time, and by the time he finally frees himself of the flames, Mariah has only gotten to the base of an uprooted tree. As she tries to pull herself under it, unable to stand with her bleeding and likely broken leg, the manticore flips her onto her back with its paw and pins her beneath it. 

Teary eyes look into the manticore’s gleaming green gaze that comes toward her, and the manticore grunts, sniffing its newly found prey as its tail hangs over its head...stinger pointed at the wiggling flesh beneath the mystic creature. Mariah can only sob, trying to break free of the paw, but even I can see from here the hope quickly fading. With her hands pinned, she can’t cast any spells...She’s useless…

Where is Valerian? Angel? Skeet? Someone?! This can’t happen! Someone, stop this madness!

I look at the rock at my feet...buried slightly beneath the ground...and I know that no wizard is going to save her...Why I bother saving someone of her kind...I don’t know why… Maybe, I don’t like the thought of unnecessary blood spilled on my conscious. Maybe, I feel like I should save her because I need her to stop the Ministry. 

Whatever, I don’t have time for this. She doesn’t have the time for this. 

Without another thought, I dig the rock out and hold it in my hand for a second...staring at it before launching it toward the manticore’s head. It bounces off harmlessly, landing on the ground next to the scythe, and I yell, “HEY! YOU! FLUFFBALL! OVER HERE!”

I’m still not sure whether or not this was a good idea…

As the manticore slowly looks up at me and wrinkles its nose--baring fangs at me--I realize that maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t such a good plan after all. 

Not much to do now except…

**RUN!**

Bolting deeper into the brush, I can hear the panting behind me as the creature loses interest in Mariah and begins the chase. My legs are beginning to tire...my body screaming in both panic and protest...like it knows it can’t stop...but it can’t help but complain anyway. Claws dig into fallen logs as I launch myself over one after the other, and I can hear the trees snapping and splintering as the mutant beast plows through them, leaving nothing but destruction behind it. 

All right...Need to go somewhere...anywhere...Just duck under something and lose it...double back...no big deal…

Breaking through the tree line, my boots hit stone, and I realize with growing horror...that I’ve reached the edge of the Wild. Coming to a sudden halt at the edge of the canyon, I look down wide-eyed at the rushing river below...the craggy bluffs on the way down that would break my fall--and my body--should I choose to jump. 

Maybe there’s some time to…

The manticore pads out calmly from the forest as if it was fully aware of the trap it had led me to. Hold its head up high, it stops only ten tail lengths from where I stand, and I’m fully aware of the tail swaying behind it...reminding me that no matter how fast I run in any direction...it will catch me...and it will kill me. 

This is it…

Killed saving a wretched witch...My sworn enemy. 

And likewise, they’ll die out here...and my kingdom and the Spiral as a whole will be lain to waste by the Ministry. 

_ I have failed… _

Lowering myself to my knees, my ears rest against my skull, and I stare at the drooling beast in horror. What will it feel like to be ripped apart by those fangs...to feel it tearing through my flesh inch by inch...blood pouring out of my body until everything goes cold and all I can feel is a numb reminder of existence? 

What will death feel like?   


A flash of yellow grabs my attention, and I look past my demise to see that white-haired wizard standing confidently behind the beast. Palm raised, I can make out the glowing yellow orbs around him and the shimmer from his amethyst eyes even though they’re closed. His hair is gently moving as if there’s a wind around him, and faint symbols dance around him as he mutters something beneath his breath. 

The manticore sniffs, and as it picks up his scent, it turns around with a snarl...only for the wizard’s eyes to open...and that confident smirk to reappear. 

_ ”Tempest.” _

A wave of water rushes from the forest out of thin air, and I stand abruptly only to be frozen in my spot...because there’s nowhere to run…

The force of the water hits me in the chest, throwing me back over the cliff as I gasp for air only to intake salty water. It fills my lungs, and I gag as I’m swept off my feet and thrown into the chasm below. As suddenly as the wave appeared, something catches me by the scruff of the neck, and I’m abruptly stopped; although, the pressure of the torrent of water weighs heavily over me. I can’t breathe...but I’m stuck hanging where I am. 

The shadow of the manticore passes over me, and I want through squinted, burning eyes as it hits one of the rocky crags below and then disappears into the river. As quickly as it had come, the water dies out, and I cough violently, spouting water from my chest and mouth like an old fountain turned on for the first time in a long time. It takes me a moment to regain my ability to breathe, and when I do, I look up at whatever it was that caught me only to see the passive face of a certain Balance wizard. 

Drops of water fall from his pointed nose and those blue bangs that are stuck to his forehead like cheap wallpaper, and he certainly doesn’t seem happy about it.

Valerian leans over the edge of the cliff, holding his hand out to me. “Give me your hand.”

Not willing to argue at the moment, I reach out to clutch his five-fingered hand in mine (the idea of having five fingers still vexes me...why have five when four is a perfectly good number). Hauling me back up onto land, he lets me go as soon as I’m clear and reaches down to help Angel back over the edge. The Balance wizard nods in thanks, breathing water out of his nose as he sits and lets out a sigh. 

“That plan only had a 12% success rate...I honestly don’t know why I ever follow your plans…” he mutters dryly, cutting Valerian a displeased look. 

Valerian laughs, running his hand through his hair as he looks at us with a goofy smile on his face. “Maybe it’s cause I’ve been coming up with the plans for the last...I don’t know how many years, and we’re not all dead yet? That, and I’m the team leader...and I’m Storm wizard...and it’s sort of my job to come up with kick-ass plans on the fly as well as BEING kick-ass on the fly.”

I cough, watching the exchange as I lay on my side. Kick-ass? Maybe. Still annoying? Definitely. 

Skeet laughs as I notice him behind the wizard, shaking his head and hands clasped together behind his back. “I thought humility was in the job title as well. Perhaps, I missed a memo.”

Vanessa comes through the brush with Mariah, the redhead’s arm draped over the other as she limps with a small smile. Scarlet is close behind with her own sort of limp in her step and three large gash over her clothing from the manticore’s claws, though it appears that majority of her injuries have healed for the most part. Her white hair is all askew, blood smeared on her otherwise pale face as she steps toward me and looks over me. 

“Are you hurt?”

Shaking my head, I sit up...though my body is still trembling with lingering fear and adrenaline. “No, I’m fine.” The thought that I almost died is something that I just can’t shake from my mind. You’d think that, as a knight, I would be used to the feeling, but that’s never the case, even for the most experienced knights.

Mariah smiles down at me, and I notice that her wound has already been closed up (probably thanks to Scarlet’s healing abilities). Likely, the magic Scarlet used can heal wounds...but it takes time for the mind to realize that such an injury has miraculously disappeared...That’s my theory anyway. I wouldn’t know how magic works, and I certainly don’t want to know. 

“Thank you for saving me back there,” she says, the calmest expression I’ve seen on her face in all my memory. 

“Well, I mean, we had our own plan. It’s not like we were going to let you die,” Valerian points out with a shrug, and Angel throws him a glare. 

“The likelihood of that plan succeeding was even less than the one we used.” Angel’s brow twitches, and as his malice fades away into that same stoic mask, he nods in my direction. “Thank you, Calamity, for your assistance. It appears that I have misjudged you. I shall take this into my future calculations.”

Vanessa doesn’t say a word, but I can tell that she’s silently hating herself for nearly getting the entire team killed. That makes me happy. That makes really happy. 

I wonder what would have happened if I had been armed...Now that I think of it, there are other dangers like this further in the Wild. There’s no telling what we’re going to encounter. I need something to defend myself, and NO, I’m not using magic. 

“I need a sword,” I say bluntly, and the rest of the group is caught off guard by my outburst. 

“A _sword_?” Vanessa mumbles, obviously against my being armed. 

Mariah elbows her in a side with a huff. “If she put her life on the line for us, I think we should give her the same amount of trust. Come on. If she was going to kill us, she would have let that thing eat me.”

“Although I’m not against giving you a weapon, I am unsure as to how we would-” Angel begins before Valerian snaps his fingers. 

“I’ve got just the thing!” He reaches into the small pouch attached to the side of his belt, slowly sticking his entire arm into the thing until his smile widens. “Here we go; one sword, coming right up!”

From the tiny, leather pocket, a golden-handled rapier manifests in front of my eyes. The sheathe gleams a polished silver as if it is actually the blade, and the handle glints in the sun as the golden surface sparkles with its ruby embellishments decorating the exquisite design. 

“A _toothpick_?” It slips from my lips as I stare at it. Yes, it’s fancy, but knights don’t carry rapiers. They’re far too light and flimsy. I’m used to my blades being long, flat, heavy, and not...a toothpick. 

Valerian chuckles, shaking his head as he presents the blade to me. “No, a rapier. Yeah, I get that maybe you’re not used to stuff like this. But that’s all I have, and it’s not a normal blade. I mean...obviously...We’re wizards. We don’t have normal weapons. It’s in the business.”

Well, duh. I didn’t think it was normal. But, that just makes me want it less. Knight don’t have magic swords…

“I know...I know. Magic sword. The Sword of Kings is magic in pretty much the same way as this. This is indestructible,” Valerian explains, drawing the sword and swishing it in the air between us. “You could bend it as much as you could, and it would never snap. You could beat this against a rock all day, and it would never dull.”

“You can’t give her that sword. That was his sword,” Vanessa growls, her gaze darkening as the air around her chills again. 

Who’s sword?   


“And he’s dead.” Valerian’s voice drops in tone, and his brows furrow as he grits his teeth. “I’d rather she use it than it sit around in an empty void.”

“You’d rather your blood be spilt on your friend’s blade?” she corrects, and Mariah pulls away from her, not wanting to get caught up in their argument. The Ice witch strides up to the slightly shorter wizard, but the other doesn’t back down despite the intimidating picture she paints. 

He shakes his head, sheathing the sword and staring up confidently at the other. “If that’s the way it has to be, then fine. I’m the leader here. We made this pact when we first began in Ravenwood.”

“Well, Ravenwood is gone, and Cody and Lily are _dead_. And who’s fault is that? What we have is a ragtag team of ghosts living in the past; we are not the ‘Saviors of the Spiral’ anymore. Wake up.”

Electricity dances in sparks around the wizard’s fingertips, and I swallow as I cautiously stand and take a step back. Their noses are practically touching now, and the tension in the air is making me nauseous. Every second that passes is just a buildup to the next. 

“You think I don’t know it’s my fault?! My best friend and the love of my life are dead, and I have to live with that and keep us going. That’s my job. So, if you don’t like that, deal with it until we’re done with our mission. I’m tired of your shit, Ice Princess. Show a little respect and start acting like yourself again. I need Vanessa here, not a pain in my ass,” he growls, shoulder-checking her as he passes and stands in front of me, handing me the sword. His expression softens with a sigh, and he manages the tiniest of smiles. “I’m sorry that you have to be caught up in all of this. If you don’t want the sword, you don’t have to take it...but...I would like you to have this. I think you would use it well.”

Unsure of how else to react, I nod slowly and close my hand over the sheathe. “I will do my best to take care of this sword. I may not understand you...your kind...and I may not have respect for you as an individual...but I do respect the feeling of losing a teammate...and a friend. I will honor his sacrifice and use this blade to fulfill my duties...and bring pride to his name. As a knight, I swear this.”

Taking the rapier, I place my arm over my chest and take to one knee, head bowed. 

No matter how much I hate him...no matter where I am...or what situation I am in...I will always be, first and foremost:

_ A knight. _


	29. Lessons Pt. 1

_ “Are we there yet?” _

…

_ “Are we there yet?” _

…

_ “Are we there yet?” _

…

_ “Are we there yet?” _

…

_ “Are we there-” _

“ **SHUT UP**!” I bare my teeth as I turn around to the smirking Storm wizard behind me, and I can hear Mariah chuckling from the back of the group. So...she thinks it’s funny? Glancing over the other heads in the group, I manage to make eye contact with the redheaded witch...effectively and quickly muting her mirth. 

“Valerian, the probability of us losing our guide is steadily increasing,” Angel mutters in warning, nudging him with his elbow. 

He isn’t far off his mark. 

Grumbling to myself, I step over a tangle of tree roots and step up onto a large boulder to survey the nearby area. Moss has overgrown most of the forest, covering it in a metaphorical green blanket. Sunlight peers in through the thick canopy of leaves above, barely brightening the grey shadows surrounding us. Trees tower above us, their barks matching the forest floor’s green and rotting under parasitical vines wrapped around them. 

These vines stretch at our feet, draining the life from the forest…

“Hmm...red moss? I’ve never seen that before. Is that blood moss...or..?” Valerian’s voice captures my attention quicker than explosion would, and I bristle at the sight of the red, fuzzy substance coated on one of the giant tree roots sticking up from the ground. 

“ **NO! DON’T TOUCH THAT**!” 

Jumping down from the rock, I rush to his side, slapping him upside the head. “You idiot! That’s Dream Moss! You touch that, and we’ll be carrying you to Ganelon the rest of the trip!”

He blinks at it for a moment before cringing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t-”

“Didn’t know? Yeah, of course you didn’t. I mentioned it before we left! Don’t you remember?!”

_ Xxx15 Minutes EarlierxxX _

“Don’t touch ANY red moss, don’t stick your fingers into any holes in the trees, don’t step on any vines, stay with at least one buddy, and most importantly, NEVER scream. Do you understand me?”

“Yup.”

“I understand with 100% clarity.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Ay, Ms. Dragonbane, I understand.”

“This is going to be so _fun_ ~!” 

“...”

 

_ XxxBack to Present DayxxX _

 

“Um...no...not really…” Valerian admits, rubbing the back of his head as he looks away sheepishly. 

“....Mmm….Oh my Artorius...This is going to be...the longest trek through the Wild any Avalonian has  _ever_ known…” I mutter, rubbing the top of my head. Why did I agree to any of this? “All right...come on...Let’s go.”

 

_ *30 Minutes Later* _

 

“WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT STEPPING ON VINES?!” I hiss, eyes wide as I struggle to unwrap the twenty foot snake from the squiggling Storm wizard’s legs. Hand around its jaws so as to not bite, I place my boot on his chest plate and pull the constrictor upwards. 

“I wasn’t paying attention!” he defends as he tries to push the creature down his legs in an attempt to slip out of its grasp. 

“ _OBVIOUSLY!_ ”

 

_ *1 Hour Later* _

 

“In what world did you think it was okay to put your hand into a random hole?!”

“It looked like it had something in it!”

“It did!!”

“HOW WOULD I KNOW THERE WOULD BE A MAN-EATING PLANT INSIDE?!”

“Shh! What did I say about yellin-VALERIAN LEGENDMANCER!”   


“KILLER BATS?! YOU DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT KILLER BATS!”

“Stop yelling! **RUN**!”

 

_ *20 Minutes later* _

 

I sigh as we sit on a fallen tree, resting and recuperating after Valerian’s last...accident. How could anyone possibly be so ignorant? I vaguely wonder if he’s doing all of this on purpose just to spite me. 

The afternoon sun shines high in the sky, and I can barely make it out past the thick foliage above. The only thing giving it away is the growing warmth down here. 

“Mmm...How much longer is left, Calamity?” Mariah asks, engraving something into the tree log beneath us absently. 

“If we weren’t moving so slowly, I would have said two and a half days. But if this stupidity continues, we’re looking at a week,” I say, throwing an accusing glance at Valerian who looks away in embarrassment. 

“Is there any way to move quicker?” Vanessa says, sharpening the tips of her arrows nonchalantly. 

Shaking my head, I watch the arrows gliding against the sharpening stone. “No. Not that I’m aware of. We’ll have to move quickly and avoid these things if we want to make it in time.”

Silence falls over us, cloaking us in a thick veil. I wonder if we’ll manage to get there in time for the ball. Not that I’m eager to end up at another party for the Ministry to almost kill everyone a second time. 

As I listen to the sounds of the forest, I can hear something very faintly off to my left. It sounds like…

“I’ll be right back..” I excuse as I slide off the mossy wood, turning tail toward the sound. 

“I’m coming with you.”

I look over my shoulder at Valerian with an unimpressed frown, and he shrugs and holds up his hands in his defense. “What? You said to have a buddy all the time. You can’t just walk off alone.”

“Fine. But don’t touch anything,” I mutter, shaking my head as I continue on. At least he retained something. 

We walk on in silence for quite a while, and as I step through a mass of bushes, my suspicions are confirmed. 

“Mmm...water. Nice. You could hear that all the way from where we were sitting?” Valerian asks as he nods in approval, looking up and down the creek that I’ve found. The crystal-like water trickles downstream languidly, taking its time toward whatever destination it has in mind. 

Stooping down to the stream, I cup the water in my hands and sniff it curiously. “It’s clean,” I say, avoiding his question. 

Taking my canteen from my belt, I start filling it, not bothering to pay any mind to the white haired wizard nearby. However, I can feel his stare lingering on me, and I fidget uncomfortably. 

“So, you must have a really keen sense of hearing. Can you hear everyone else right now?” He sits down next to me on the bank, watching me fill up my container with mock interest. 

“Yes…” The growl that falls from my lips is less than kind, and I don’t bother even glaring at him as my gaze narrows on the steady stream of water. 

“That’s amazing! We’re really lucky to have you as our guide then!” he chirps, smiling brightly at me...and I’m sure he’s just making fun of me. Of course I have good hearing; I’m a fox. 

Snapping the lid on my canteen, I refasten it to my belt and sneer at him. “Whatever. Let’s head back.”

“Hold up!” Valerian stands up after me, a look of determination on his face as the smile fades away like dust in a windstorm. 

“What?”

“I really mean it. We appreciate you. If it wasn’t for you, there’s a good likelihood we’d all be dead right now. I know that Vanessa might mistrust you, but the rest of us really are thankful,” he says, face relaxing as he reaches out to touch my arm. 

Stepping back, I pull out my new rapier and stare down the blade’s edge to his nose as the point pricks the soft skin lightly. “I’m only here to get you to Ganelon. From that moment on, we are enemies again.”

His expression hardens, and I notice his fingers dancing on the hilt of his blade. “Don’t point a weapon you don’t know how to use at someone.”

“It’s a sword. I think I can manage, wizard,” I hiss, flashing my fangs at him as I twist the blade slightly to the left. 

Catching me off-guard, he draws the Sword of Kings and bats the rapier away from his face with ease to point the longsword toward me with the most serious expression I’ve seen since...at least the cabin in Polaris. “If you are so confident in that, then fight me right here and right now.”

I blink at the gleaming, silver edge of the sword pointed at my bosom, and I follow its length to the form of its master. Quite honestly, I wasn’t expecting this in the slightest. But if he’s offering for a rematch from our last duel...then I’m sure I can win (especially without that obnoxious redhead here). 

“ **FINE!** ” Pulling my chops back to reveal my canines, I lunge forward to diagonally slash my rapier in his direction. 

He steps back wide-eyed and narrowly dodges the slash, right foot dipping into the cold water of the creek behind him. Seeing my opportunity, I lunge again, wildly swinging the flimsy weapon back and forth. With every attack, he steps back again and again, and I can’t seem to reach him despite the long length of the rapier. 

A cocky smile begins to appear on his face, and I can tell he’s not taking this seriously. He hasn’t even raised his sword in defense, and it frustrates me with every passing second. 

“ARGH!” Both hands on my rapier, I swing it down towards his head, and his smirk grows as he finally counters my attack...only for the Sword of Kings to knock the rapier out of my hand and harmlessly into the water on my right. 

Lunging toward me, he grabs my arm and places his arm against my neck whilst he sweeps me off my feet. I land hard against the rocky bottom of the creek, yelping as the wizard places his knee against my chest and presses his sword against my throat. 

Water soaks the back of my gear, and the current tugs at my body; although, it isn’t strong enough to sweep me away. Staring blankly at the wizard above, I pant and lay still beneath him. How...could he defeat me so easily? Especially when I had almost triumphed the last time we fought? Was it that blade? Of course it was. It was stupid of me to fight a longsword with a toothpick. 

“ _Get off_. You’ve made your point,” I hiss, hackles rising as I raise my hands to push up against the sword in an effort to lighten the pressure. 

However, he doesn’t budge, and he shakes his head as he speaks. “Let me teach you.”

“Teach me what? What the hell are you going to teach me?” 

“Teach you how to use a rapier,” Valerian explains, glancing over to the golden object glinting in the water. 

As he looks away, I recognize my opportunity. Bucking my hips, I manage to displace him, throwing him off to my left. 

He struggles, trying to get up as I pounce on him. As I grab his wrists, I open my mouth with a snarl and lunge for his throat to finish this, but he manages to wrestle back and presses against my chest and my throat. Drool drips from my muzzle onto his cheek, and he winces and grunts as he fights against my downward force. 

Digging my claws into his wrists, my snarling grows as my anger mounts at being unable to overpower him. He lets out an odd, gurgled sound of pain at my claws, and his strength begins to wane as my fangs get closer to his throat. Backed into a corner, he huffs and pulls his right hand from my chest, allowing me to fall forward as his other arm pushes me to the left by the throat. Once again, water greets me, and this time I roll into it face-first. Mistakenly, I inhale, choking on the clear liquid and coughing as I pull my head out only for the wizard to tackle me again. 

He’s abandoned his sword, and I know I have the advantage now. 

Droplets of water splash in every direction in our tussle, and I slash my claws at his face, barely managing to scrape and draw blood from the pale flesh of his cheek, nose, and lips. Anger blossoms in his expression, and he balls his hands up into a fist to punch my snout. 

Yelping, I try to scramble away as he grabs my right and tries to capture one of my arms. His superior strength and weight pin to me against the rocky creek bed, and my wet uniform clings uncomfortably against my body. 

Managing to grasp my wrists, he pins them above my head and into the water, wrapping his legs around mine to steady himself and keep me from bucking him off again. I snarl as I lunge to bite again. 

Pinning my arms with just one hand, he draws back his other hand to point the fingertips toward my face. As I near his throat, I pause at the glimpse of sparks dancing across them...and realize that he has me beat. 

The one thing I haven’t accounted for: _magic._

I’m not fighting another knight…

“You are useless against magic like this,” he chastises, face dark and angrier than I’ve ever seen him be...except against Valkoor. But there’s something different this time...I can’t quite put my finger on it. Frustrated, I turn my face away...knowing that he is right. 

Water drips from his mussed, white hair and onto my face, and his chest heaves as he slowly lets go of my wrists and lowers his guard. Red blossoms from the claw marks on his cheek, and it dribbles down to his jaw line to fall and land on my wet armor. Eventually, he stands, offering me a pale hand...which I don’t have the energy to refuse. 

Getting to my feet, I watch as he lets go of my hand to reach behind him and pluck the rapier from the water. “You use this like a longsword. It’s different. If you don’t let me teach you, you’re going to die.”

Lowering my gaze, I close my hand over the hilt and take it back only to put it in its rightful place. “Would that be so bad?”

“Do you want to die, Calamity?” He sighs, face softening as he too takes the Sword of Kings and sheathes it. 

I walk out of the creek and look toward the direction of the group. Their footsteps are heading in this direction...likely out of suspicion of what took so long. “They’re coming.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” the wizard presses, following me to stand close behind. 

“You can start teaching me how to use that toothpick tomorrow morning…” I mutter, and it’s Mariah who bursts out from the brush first. 

Gasping, she instantly rushes over to Valerian to fawn over him. “What happened?!” she cries, touching his bloodied cheek. 

“Ah, nothing. Just a killer otter is all, haha!” Rubbing the back of his head, he plays it off like it’s nothing. 

But I know...I know that it was much...much more than that...Perhaps, it was the beginning of something certainly... _unexpected_.


	30. Truth or Dare

“THIS IS USELESS!” I yell, panting and tongue lolling from my muzzle as I glare at the barely scratched tree trunk in front of me. 

Cut the tree down; “it’ll be easy”, he said. A “piece of cake,” he said. 

Yeah, right. It would be easier to forgive him for all of his crimes than it would be to cut down a tree with a toothpick. 

“You’re not using your head. You can’t hack anything mindlessly, even with a full-on sword,” Valerian chastises.

Rolling my eyes, I growl. I don’t need to hear it from him. What the hell does he know anyway? I would say he isn’t a knight, but some idiot dubbed him a Knight of the Silver Rose…

With a long, drawn out sigh, he slides from the log that had been his seat and strides over to me. “Look, you’re not even holding it right. You can’t use both hands.”

“Then what the hell am I supposed to do with the other one?!” I hiss, baring my teeth as he holds up his hands in defense and gets even closer.

Shaking his head, he pulls my right hand off the blade and maintains a grip on my left hand over the handle of the thin blade. “This is a weapon of grace. I know you’ve got some of that. Your other hand is for balance and physical attacks. Although this is a weapon of grace, it’s also a dirty weapon. You’ve got to know how to play dirty to win. The combat that you’re used to isn’t going to work here; you fight to kill or be killed.”

“Hmph, I know that,” I grumble, casting my gaze away. It’s not like I need to be told that lik e a child. That’s the first thing knights are taught...well...maybe like the third thing, but still. “So play dirty? I can do that. But I’m not going to cut down a tree like that. That’s ridiculous!”

“I didn’t say to cut down the tree,” he corrects with a smirk as he lets go and walks behind me. “I said to kill the tree.”

“Same difference.” Huffing, I look toward the tree with hatred. The faint lines from my weapon mock me in the bark of the tree, and tip my nose down at it. Kill the tree? Don’t cut it down? What in Bartelby is that supposed to mean?

“Change your stance. You’re too rigid.” 

Hands brush the underside of my arms, and I stiffen as a heat flames in my cheeks. The knowledge that he is so close makes every hair on my body stand at attention, and I can’t help the deep, guttural growl that surfaces. 

“Relax,” he murmurs, and I can faintly feel his breath on my right ear. It tickles and rocks me with a shiver. “You’re a fox. You have more flexibility and speed than any human wizard could dream to have. Use that to your advantage.” Guiding my arms into his idea of a ‘proper position,’ I can feel his foot nudging my feet a little further apart. 

I don’t like this. I don’t like any of this, but I’m frozen--completely at his mercy. From where he stands, I can feel his his chestplate barely pressing against the top of my spine. On a whim, every joint...every muscle in my body refuses to move except under his direction. As I follow his command, the stutter in my heart becomes more pronounced. Contrary to my usual, steady hand, I can feel myself shaking much to my own dismay. 

“There...Relax your shoulders...Put a little more weight on your toes instead of your heels. Using a rapier, you need to be prepared to make the first strike. Chances are, you’ll only get one chance. Off the bat, wizards won’t have enough power to cast any spells that can break through your armor. Use that to your advantage,” instructs the Storm wizard, steadying my left hand. 

“Okay…” It’s all I can manage to breathe. 

“Like a regular sword, this is just an extension of your arm. Feel it...Memorize the weight...The ease of movement. Imagine you’re holding a long needle...You can’t hack someone with a needle, can you? What would you do with it?”

“I’d stab them somewhere vital...Slash their throat maybe...somewhere soft…” I murmur, staring along the silver, gleaming edge of the blade in thought. 

“Exactly.” Letting go of my hand, he steps back and side steps to get a good look at my form. He nods in approval, resting one hand on the hilt of his sword. “Looks good…”

I’m still reeling from his close proximity...It’s almost as if there’s bugs crawling in my fur, and they won’t leave no matter how I scratch at them. 

Using a rapier--so...this is it, huh? It feels so foreign...so different... It’s definitely like a different language; I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this. Standing like this, my arms stuck in a pose crafted by his hands--vaguely, he reminds me of Agravaine...in the way he speaks...and the way he acts when he’s teaching.  How can I hate someone so much but hold respect for them? 

The thought of respecting someone like him...having to be taught like a child from HIM...it sickens me. There’s a fury nurtured inside of me, and the more I see him and the more I hear him, the more I want to erase his existence. 

If I wasn’t bound by honor and duty, I would kill him right now...At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. 

“All right, try again. Kill the tree,” Valerian says, gesturing to the towering opponent before us. 

Kill the tree. Kill the tree? HOW THE-?!   
With a grunt, my ears flatten, and I stomp over to stand in front of the tree, glaring menacingly at it as if it were the one that killed my brother instead of my newfound instructor. All right, I’ll bite. I’ll kill the god damn tree. 

Stab them somewhere vital? So, I need to stab the tree? This...this seems impractical and stupid…

But what if there’s a reason behind it? Is it a magical sword? He did say that it would never break…

“All right...Kill the tree…” I murmur, nodding slowly as I twist the handle in my hand. No big deal. Just stab the tree. 

Hesitating, I glance over my shoulder to the grinning Storm wizard behind me. He flashes me a double thumbs-up and winks… 

...I need to mentally remind myself to slice off his fingers after this. 

Okay...here we go: stabbing a tree. 

Swallowing, I place my right hand on the trunk to steady myself as the other presses the tip of the blade against the bark. With a deep inhale, I close my eyes and pull the blade back. Here goes nothing. 

“AHH!” 

Stepping back, I thrust the blade into the trunk, gritting my teeth as I put as much force behind the blow as I can muster. It sinks into the surface halfway before it stops, and my hand slips to hit the hand guard. 

“SH-*!” 

“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” 

Valerian bursts into manic laughter as he falls to the ground behind me, wrapping his arms around his stomach as tears pricks the corners of his eyes. “Y-you stabbed...oh my--HAHAHAHAHA! Why-why did you think-? HAHAHAHAHA!”

“SHUT UP!” I snap, holding my injured hand as I grit my teeth, ears flat and tail bristling behind me. 

I already feel stupid enough. I don’t need this stupid idiot laughing me. 

Oh Artorius...I just stabbed a tree...WHY DID I THINK THAT WOULD WORK?!   
Laughing, the wizard rolls onto his back, tilting his head back into dirt with tears streaming down his temples. 

Shaking my head, I storm up to the him, glaring daggers down at the incapacitated man. “You’re an asshole. You know that? I hope something eats you,” I hiss, kicking him in the ribcage on a whim. It doesn’t even affect him through his chainmail armor, and I wince at the throbbing pain in my boot...O www...Owww…

Limping through the open field of tall grass, I head toward the sound of the nearby creek coursing through the woods nearby. Angrily, I flop down onto the edge of the water, throwing a nearby rock into the rushing current. 

Stupid wizard. Stupid tree. Stupid...stupid everything. 

Trees tower above me and all around, and I look up at the canopy above to stare at the rustling leaves, sunlight filtering through in occasional patches. There’s a steady breeze...the smell of fungus and grass as pungent as ever. The bushes that line the creek paint the path to our destination...and provide the best cover for both ourselves and our foes. 

“Don’t be discouraged, Calamity.” 

My ears perk at a familiar voice, and I don’t have to turn around to acknowledge the Burrower nearby. “What’s the use?”

Skeet stands at my side, watching the flowing water with slight interest. His dark gaze is warm and pensive, and the frustration he once harbored in my direction has pretty much disappeared at this point. He tilts his head, whiskers twitching as he reaches up to touch one of his enormous ears. “You’ll need to learn how to use one eventually. It would be wise to learn what you can.”

“I did what he said, and I got my sword stuck in a fricking tree, Skeet! That wouldn’t have happened if he’d just given me a real sword! If he knows how to use that toothpick, then he should have it!” Angrily, I grab another rock and throw it into the creek. It splashes upon contact, the spray sending droplets in every direction. They land on my lashes, attaching themselves to the tips of my fur. 

“There’s a reason for everything that he does. Besides, the Sword of Kings is a magical sword. It has properties that he will need to defeat the Ministry. Giving you that sword would be a waste of its potential.”

What he says stings…

Quite honestly, I know--deep down--that I’m not as important as the rest of them. After this mission, it is likely that I will be nothing but a burden to them. My demise would bring no change upon the Spiral...just like the thousands of other creatures that live here. 

Life seems like it’s rewarding the sinners. Why would someone like Valerian, who has killed numerous creatures like my brother, be its Savior? Why is he so popular...so well liked? It doesn’t make sense. In history, only the most notorious will go on in history for everyone to remember. 

“Pick yourself back up. Knights do not wallow in pity and defeat. Pick your sword back up.”

“I got it. Besides, we need to move out anyway. We’re running out of time,” I mutter, standing up as I dust off my enchanted armor. Shaking the dirt from my tail, I trudge toward the field. 

Valerian is standing next to the tree with the rapier in his hand. He must have pulled it out while I was away. “Done moping?” he teases, grinning as he hands it back only for me to snatch it from his grasp. 

“I wasn’t moping. I was restraining myself from killing you. You’re welcome.”

“Ouch,” he chuckles, raising a brow as I scheathe the weapon and glower. He pushes himself off the trunk of the tree he was leaning on and gestures back toward our path. “Breaktime is over. Time to hit the road.”

“Exactly my intentions…” I mutter under my breath, and Skeet excuses himself to go fetch the rest of the team. “Just don’t get in my way, and don’t touch anything.”

“Liiiiiiike, this?” He touches the ‘stab-wound’ left in the tree with a smirk, and I snarl. 

“Shut up and go get your things.” 

“Okie dokie, Avalon-y,” teases the white haired wizard, and I watch him prance off to camp. 

This...is going to be a long trip…

 

**Xxx**

 

We stop hours later as the shadows elongate beneath the foliage of the canopy. In less than an hour’s time, a small area is cleared by burning the underbrush with Mariah’s magic and tents are set up accordingly. Vanessa begins dinner, Mariah is roped into peeling potatoes for her, Scarlet is sharpening weapons, Angel finishes warding the area, and Valerian has wandered off to scout the area around the camp. Whether or not he comes back, I’m not sure which would make me the happiest. 

Skeet sits beside me as we watch the happenings of the camp, sewing up some ripped fabric of what seems to be...formal wear. 

“What is that?” I murmur, glancing at the white fabric with interest. 

The Burrower smirks, not meeting my gaze as he focuses on the task at hand. “We’re going to a ball, are we not?”

Snickering, I turn my head away to watch as Vanessa stirs the pot over the tiny flame in the pit I had dug out for camp earlier. “What’s the point? I thought we were crashing the party and killing those monsters.”

“As an Avalonian, you would understand the problem with that,” he huffs, and I know he’s right. 

We’d be the dishonorable ones. 

To break into a ball unannounced and kill the honored guests wouldn’t reflect well on us, and chances are, we’d lose the respect or support that we might have gotten otherwise. 

“Where did you get that stuff anyway?” I ask, crossing my arms as I listen to the sounds of fire and the grating of steel. 

“From the trunk. There’s many garments from the Master’s previous travels, especially from their time in Aggrobah, but that’s a different story.”

“MARIAH!” I can hear Vanessa’s hiss from across the camp, and I blink as I watch the redhead wince at the witch’s temper. “How are we supposed to cook with these?”

A dark aura seems to surround the bristling Ice witch, and Mariah swallows as she holds up her hand with her peeler in still clutched in her left hand. “I-I’m sorry! I-I’ve never peeled potatoes be-before!”

With a sigh, the raven-haired woman pinches the bridge of her nose. “My mistake for choosing a spoiled brat to do manual work.”

“HEY!” 

“What’s the problem?” Valerian strides into camp with a concerned expression on his face, white bangs swaying with every step. His hair is getting long and unkempt...It’s likely he’ll have to cut it before we arrive at Ganelon…

“Nothing. I was just trying to figure out how we could use these pieces of paper…” is her snarky reply, holding up one of the thinest pieces of potato in the history of thin potato pieces. 

Grimacing, he glances over to Mariah who seems to deflate upon eye-contact. “I guess it can’t be helped...Can you do anything about it?”

“Of course I can. It’s just going to be almost as big as a pain as her,” she grumbles, taking the small bucket of potato peels toward the fire where she sets it down and continues with dinner. 

Valerian shakes his head, murmuring to Mariah, “She’s in one of her moods again, huh?”

“Yeah…” The redhead reaches behind her back to pull her braid to the side, fiddling with the end of it. 

Angel strides past the two of them, hand resting on the hilt of his machete until he sits down beside Scarlet and hands the blade wordlessly over to the Death witch who takes it without question. As he sits there, Valerian glances over to him with a questioning expression, to which the Balance wizard nods. 

For some time, there is an awkward silence, and we all seem to just watch either Vanessa cook as the smell fills the air around us or Scarlet sharpen weapons as the ring of scraped steel fills our ears.

“There... “ Vanessa finally murmurs, standing as she looks over the contents of the pot in front of her with a slight nod. “That should be it.”

“YAY!” Mariah chirps, instantly jumping from her seat with a giggle and a blush. Unfazed by the annoyed glare of her opposite, she seems to prance over to the pot and inhale with a stupid grin on her face. “Ah~ It smells so~ good~”

“It’s just stew…” The Ice witch rolls her eyes and sits down on one of the nearby logs, watching as Mariah grabs a bowl and a spoon and eagerly begins to scoop up some of the stew. 

I have to admit that, from where I sit, it smells fantastic for something scraped together on a whim. Then again, we didn’t have to do much but pull it out of a magic chest. It’s like they keep everything in that thing. Like...what’s next? A whole castle?

“Aren’t you coming?” Valerian’s voice catches my attention, and I look up to see the Storm wizard holding out a bowl toward me. 

Turning my head, I stare out into the dark shadows that make up the edge of the forest. “I’m fine.”

“All right. Suit yourself,” he sighs, scratching the back of his head before turning to get his own food. 

It isn’t long before the wizards all sit around the flickering flames with their bowls, but it’s quieter than I would have imagined. It has been this entire trip. For such a rowdy and curious bunch, they’re uncommonly reserved. All I can hear is the clicking of their spoons against the bowl and the crackling of burning logs. Although they annoy me to the core, part of me is more unsettled by their silence than their usual personalities. 

“So...how was everyone’s day?” Mariah manages to bring out, trying to lighten the atmosphere with her usual cheeriness. 

She’s met with silence.

As I look around at the muted wizards, I notice the glaring contest between Valerian and Vanessa, and I now realize why everyone is quiet. The two have been at each other’s throats this entire trip, but they haven’t addressed each other fully. Are they still...mad about the rapier? 

I never thought I’d agree with a wizard, but I agree with them. This tension between the two makes me incredibly uncomfortable. 

“Honestly,” Angel grunts, shaking his head as rubs his temple. “Will you two stop? The chances of us succeeding in our mission drastically decrease if you continue this. I highly suggest we resolve this conflict at the present time to prevent catastrophe from occuring in the near future.”

“What conflict? Vanessa’s stubbornness?” Valerian pouts, crossing his arms as he curls his bottom lip and glances briefly at Vanessa who in turn glares. 

“The same can be said about you, Legendmancer. You shame Cody’s name,” she hisses, and I shiver as I feel the cold waft toward me, ice starting to coat the log in which she sat upon. 

“Look!” Mariah stands, putting her hands on her hips and leaning forward toward the two across the way. “We get it! We all miss Cody! But that’s not going to bring him back. I don’t care what your guys’ problems are, get yourself together. Otherwise, he’s never going to be avenged, and he died for nothing!”

The two look away from each other, saying nothing to the redhead’s point. 

Skeet nods in agreeance. “I concur. We owe it to all our fallen friends...Even Miss Lily…”

At the mention of his fiance, Valerian swallows, lowering his gaze and deflating all together. “Fine…”

“Whatever…”

“On a more positive note~” Mariah begins, clapping her hands together and obviously pleased that she managed to lighten the tension. “How about we play a little game of Truth or Dare?”

“We aren’t teenagers anymore, Mariah,” Angel points out, raising a brow as he crosses his arms. 

“Pfft, who cares?” Valerian asks, cheering up almost instantly as he perks and raises his hand. “I’m in!”

“I’ll grab the important stuff,” Vanessa says, shrugging as she stands and starts over toward one of the tents. 

“Mon cheri~?” she croons, looking over at Scarlet who instantly blushes upon eye contact and fiddles with the sleeves of her uniform. 

“Okay…” mutters the Death witch, golden eyes glancing away.

“I will retire for the night,” Skeet announces, shaking his one-horned head as he starts toward his tent. 

He seems to have the right idea, and as I begin to stand and do the same, Mariah catches my hand with a laugh. 

“Oh no! You’re~ staying! Please~?!” begs the redhead, and I try to pull away..but to no avail. 

“I-I don’t even know what that is…” I say; although, I have a pretty good idea. ‘Truth or Dare’--it seems pretty self-explanatory. 

“Come on! We’ll show you!” And I’m pulled to sit down beside her and Scarlet as Vanessa arrives with three bottles. 

She hands one to Mariah, one to Angel, and keeps one for herself. 

“All right, I’ll start. I get to ask someone if they want Truth or Dare. If they choose truth, I ask them a question they have to answer truthfully. If they choose dare, they have to do whatever I tell them to do. If they do it successfully without backing out, I have to take a gulp of Nectar,” she explains, holding up the bottler of what is apparently called ‘Nectar.’

I nod slowly. So...it’s like a double edged sword. It could potentially be a way to learn more about them. If I could learn something that could help me defeat Valerian in the way, then maybe this would be beneficial. 

“All right…”

“So, I’m first….Hmm~ Oh! Angel! Truth or dare~?”

The Balance wizard pauses for a moment, apparently calculating his chances before hesitantly speaking. “Truth.”

Pouting, she sighs. “Wuss...Whatever….Hmmm...What was the craziest client you ever had?”

“Crazy?” Angel raises his brow before narrowing his eyes in thought. “Honestly, it is likely that it was a lioness touring from Zafaria…”

“Ooooh, you got you some pu-”

“She didn’t want me because I would ‘make for a poor scratching post.’” 

“AHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Bursting out into laughter, Mariah doubles over with tears in her eyes, and I can hear the stifled laughter from Valerian and Scarlet as they do their best to not follow suit. “I-I can drink to that!”

Uncorking her bottle, she smells the contents before taking a long draw. 

“Valerian,” Angel says, and I look over to the Storm wizard who is sitting beside the other. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare. Duh,” he says, smirking that trademark smirk of his. 

Once again, the Balance wizard falls into a silent pensiveness for several moments, only to be broken by his hum of amusement. “Hmmm...I dare you to...go into Skeet’s tent and reorganize everything in his tent.”

“Oh...Bartelby…” he rasps, eyes widening as Scarlet’s does over in the corner field of my vision. 

“Oooooooo!” Mariah puts her fingertips against her lips, brows rising in surprise. “That’s a good one!”

“Dude, are you trying to kill me?!”

“No. I am trying to avoid becoming intoxicated,” states the blue haired wizard matter-of-factly. 

Grumbling, Valerian stands hesitantly and tiptoes toward the tent… “This is a bad idea…” 

 

**Xxx**

 

*One hour later*

Time passes on, and as the more questions and dares are posed, the drunker the players become...except Scarlet, who has been on the sidelines for the majority of the game...and myself. 

After all this time, it’s mostly been just a back and forth in between Scarlet, Valerian, and Angel. Not once have they asked me anything. I’m starting to feel like this has been a complete waste of my time. 

I’ve only learned that: 

  1. a) Angel was a prostitute apparently
  2. b) Mariah only chooses dares
  3. c) Valerian hates cheese



Whatever. It’s probably about time to hit the hay anyway…

“Hehehehe~! Scar*hic*let...I dare you to...ma-make out with Mar*hic*iah,” Valerian slurs, holding up his bottle with a wide grin. 

“B-but!” interjects the shy witch. “You didn’t even ask me if I wanted truth or dare!”

“Just do i~t!” he giggles, wiggling his eyebrows as the redhead beside Scarlet already begins to scoot closer with a near identical smirk. 

“R-right here!?” squeaks the Death witch, her eyes wide as she leans away from her partner with a blush bright enough to match the Fire witch’s flaming hair. 

“Right new,” he confirms, winking at her as he leans back and nearly falls off his seat. “Oh! Wait! Where arechu goin?!” 

“To bed…” I grumble, not even bothering to glare at him as I head toward my tent with my tail dragging on the ground. 

“W-wait!” Scarlet stands with a fist held over her chest and blush still prevalent in her cheeks. 

“What?”

“I-I know that you didn’t get to play at all this time! I want to ask you so many things!” she blurts, and the other wizards turn their gazes to me in interest. “Please, Calamity! I know you don’t like us...but...I really want you to be part of this too!”

As I open my mouth to speak and reject her proposal, I can see Valerian sitting nearby, lashes fluttering with drunkenness and exhaustion. This is my chance to ask him while he’s incapacitated. I would have to be stupid to pass this up!   
“Fine…” With an overdramatized sigh, I sit back down and tilt my head in mock curiosity. “What did you want to ask me?”

“O-oh! Um…” she stutters, eyes alight in surprise in curiosity. Chances are, she didn’t expect me to agree. “W-well...um…”

“Well, if you have a question, spit it out.”

“What was your brother like?”

The question freezes me in my tracks. I was prepared for simple questions...like where I grew up...what my favorite color is...how does one become a knight….but this…

I swallow, ears drooping to give away my inner thoughts and feeling. Sometimes, I feel as if my ears are just mirrors to my soul. 

_ Agravaine… _

I don’t know how I could even begin to describe him…

“He was...a real knight,” I say, treading slowly as I try to come up with the right words. “Honor...chastity...loyalty...bravery...he was these things and more...There was probably and will never be a knight as good as him...Not even me…”

“But...as a brother..?” she presses, and at my glare, she becomes flustered. “I-I’m sorry! I just…I don’t really know...what brothers are like...at least, not the kind that try to kill everyone and destroy the world…”

“Fair enough…” I shrug, looking at my boots as I become lost in thought. As a brother...huh? “I guess...he was...a good brother...My parents were killed when I was young. He was the only family I really knew...He was my brother, my role model, and...my best friend…”

The last three words seem to squeeze my heart in an invisible fist, and breathing becomes difficult as I remember coming home that day...walking through the front door to see the scorch marks and splintered wood...and bleeding, lifeless body on the floor as the red seeped into the floorboards to stand as a testament to what happened for the rest of eternity. 

Out of all the questions I could have asked, and without any thought to the reason why I stayed to play this game, the question slips from my muzzle as I look up at the white haired wizards across the clearing. 

_ ”Why?” _

Valerian swallows, a haunted expression painting his features as his elbows sink to rest on his knees and his hands stay clasped in front of him. He slouches, looking at dying embers of the fire as they cast long shadows on his pale countenance. Shaking his head, he doesn’t answer me. He won’t answer me.

“WHY, DAMN IT?!” I stand abruptly, baring my teeth as I pull my ears back and my hackles raise. 

“I didn’t...have…*hic* a choice…” His words are slurred and quiet...broken as if plagued by memories, and I don’t care. Good for him. I hope my words torture him. I hope every day he is haunted by guilt and regret, that one day he’ll do us all a favor and save me the trouble of killing him. 

“Like hell there wasn’t!”

“He was under the control of the Umbra Queen,” Vanessa interjects, standing as she looks at me with a calm and calculated yet stern expression. “He had been dabbling in magic, and he succumbed to madness. Your ‘ideal knight’ massacred a village of peaceful goblins and other knights. He helped the Umbra Queen kill the king. He was a traitor in the end, and when we faced him in battle, he used what little sanity he had left to throw himself onto Valerian’s blade and killed himself. Your idea of revenge is stupid and pointless. You’re wasting your time, and personally it makes me sick. Childish knight, do your duty and then do us a favor: go home and grow up.”

He...killed himself..?

Does that mean that...this entire time...I’ve been chasing a pointless revenge? 

I can feel...the sting of tears...and pressure in my nose as my hands tremble. Oh Bartelby...tell me this isn’t true...Of course, it isn’t true! A wizard said it! I can’t trust w-wizards! 

But...she said...that he was studying magic…

Shaking my head, I step back in horror… “No…You’re lying…”

“It doesn’t matter if she’s lying…” Valerian staggers to his feet, eyes unable to meet mine as he stands there swaying. “I killed him...I killed your brother… I killed...a lot of people *hic*, and I have to...live with it...when I just want...to die...I want you *hic* to kill me...because I *hic* desherve it…”

“That’s it,” Vanessa hisses, gritting her teeth as she tries to take his arm. “You’re too drunk. You need rest.”

“NO!” Lashing out at her and slipping his arm away from her grasp, he stumbles back. Hair all askew, I can barely make out the tears already slipping down his cheeks before his desperate and grief-stricken face turns toward me. “I-I’m so sorry…*hic* So sorry...So sorry...So sorry...So sorry...I’m sho…*hic* shorry…”

He staggers forward and falls to his knees at my feet, sobbing as his hands dig into the ash-coated soil. His hands are probably burning from the embers, but I can’t do anything but stare at him wide-eyed. 

What can I do? What am I supposed to say to this?

  
“I killed...I’m...a bad *hic* pershon…*hic* I desherbe todie…Why...why did...He have *hic* to come back?!” Sobbing silently, tears pitter patter on the ground steadily, the stray coals hissing at the contact. As he slowly lifts his head to look at me, I can make out the wavering, amethyst eyes glazed with salt water. His hair is stuck to his reddened cheeks and his temples, snot dripping from his pointed nose. “Eberyone dies becauze of me…*hic* and I...I can’t save th-e-e-em...What k-kind of a Shavoir am I? Your brother was sho...brave...and...h-he...died...becauze...I couldn’t…*hic* sa-save him...I’m shorry...I’m shorry…” 

As he apologizes, I begin to subconsciously kneel down in front of him, my hands wavering inches away from the wizard because, quite frankly, I don’t know what to do.

He slides down, and without hesitation, places his head in my lap, sniffling as his lashes flutter against the dark circles beneath his eyes. On any other occasion, I might have been inclined to push him away, but I don’t. I can’t bring myself to. 

Apparently, the others are as frozen as I am...even Vanessa who stands nearby with the first look of an expression that isn’t disgust or anger: a mixture of surprise and pity. Scarlet moves to touch the Storm wizard in comfort, but hesitates only to be pulled back by Angel who shakes his head. 

“I think...it is wise to end the game. Calamity, can you take him back to his tent?” Angel asks, glancing between Valerian and myself. 

It’s not like I have much of a choice.

Nodding begrudgingly, I shift myself to push Valerian up enough and stretch his arm over my shoulders. Carefully, I walk him to his tent, my mind left numb in the wake of the events that have just transpired. 

I don’t know how to react anymore.

Pushing through the tent flap, I walk into close quarters. His space is nothing more than a simple pallet of blankets, an unlit lantern, and a few personal possessions scattered about here and there. 

I place him on his makeshift bed, and by this point, he only lets out a small, nearly inaudible grunt as he’s laid down. A hint of amethyst can barely be made out past the veil of ivory lashes, and I try to think nothing of his gaze as I reach for his shoes. Slipping them off, I place them at the end of the blankets and then cover him with his blankets. I wouldn’t be caught dead taking off any more of his armor. 

As I pull the covers to his breastplate, I pause for a moment to look at the still wizard. His eyes are now wide open, staring at me blankly. Squirming slightly beneath his gaze, I stare back for only a few seconds, taking in his tear-stained cheeks, mussed locks, and dark circles before standing and turning toward the exit. 

“ _Calamity…_ ”

I pause.

“I’m...sorry…”

I say nothing in return because I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to do or act or think. Everything hurts…

Clenching my fists at my sides, I tremble and stand still before the tent flaps, an internal struggle raging on inside me as I decide whether or not to stay or leave or say something or...or...I don’t know.

“ _Calamity…_ ”

I say nothing.

“Truth...or dare?”

The question makes me turn my head, and I regard him curiously as he turns on his side and pulls the blankets to his chin. 

“Truth…”

“Pick dare.”

“Why ask me that question if you only want me to pick dare?” I huff, an ear flicking in annoyance. 

_ ”Please.” _

“Fine. Dare.”

“Sing…” he murmurs, looking out into nothingness, and I can barely make out the glimmer in the darkness...of tears in his eyes. 

“What?”

“You said...once...that you sang...Lily sang...so please...just….just this once…” he croaks, pleading quietly through his muffled tears. 

No…

That’s what I want to say...more than anything.

But I can’t. There’s something in his voice...something about HIM that I cannot refuse. There’s this feeling I haven’t been able to shake, and I hate it. I hate it to my very core, but no matter how hard I try, it’s always there. 

“Just this once,” I repeat, my feet moving against my will back toward him. I sit beside him, hands resting flat on the ground behind me as I stare at the ceiling of the tent….and I remember.

I remember a cool autumn night...when I was young...and alone...and scared--when Agravaine became the only one I had left. I remember when he came into my room...and he laid down beside me...and he sang the only song he ever sang to me…

A long, drawn out sigh falls on awaiting ears, and I close my eyes as I let, for the first time in a long time, my heart speak. 

 

_ ”Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby, _

_ Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay, _

_ And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow, _

_ Bless you with love for the road that you go. _

 

_ May you sail far to the far fields of fortune, _

_ With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet, _

_ And may you need never to banish misfortune, _

_ May you find kindness in all that you meet. _

 

_ May there always be angels to watch over you, _

_ To guide you each step of the way, _

_ To guard you and keep you safe from all harm, _

_ Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay. _

 

_ May you bring love and may you bring happiness, _

_ Be loved in return to the end of your days, _

_ Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you, _

_ I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay. _

 

_ May there always be angels to watch over you, _

_ To guide you each step of the way, _

_ To guard you and keep you safe from all harm, _

_ Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay, loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay.” _

 

As I let the words fall from my lips, the world around me seems to fade into oblivion. There’s a calm peace I haven’t felt in ages, and my body relaxes so much that I find myself lying down on the ground beside the wizard in a trance-like state. I don’t remember when it happened...but I can see his fingers have found mind, intertwined yet limp in his sleep. Perhaps, any other time, I might have cast them away in disgust and marched away, but I don’t. I don’t know why I didn’t, but maybe it has to do with this thought I have.

There’s a thought in my mind. 

It’s a thought that’s scared me for a long time now. It’s chased me through all these worlds and after all this time, and even now, I’m terrified. 

But I can’t help but wonder…

_ What if I’m wrong?  _


	31. Queen

“Bishop to E3,” Valkoor says, pressing the black chess piece ahead with his fingertips and effectively taking away the opposing white rook.

“Shit…” Wolf grits his teeth, crossing his arms as he glowers at the board obviously in the Horned King’s favor. “This is a load of raging bull…”

At that, Valkoor smirks, setting aside the white piece nonchalantly. “Don’t obsess over it. You never had a chance...Strategy is something you’ve never been able to get your miniscule mind around.”

“Har-har. Is that your attempt at humor because it sucks,” snorts the Balance wizard, moving one of his pawns forward without even a thought. 

“Such foul language and foul temper will get the best of you one day, Wolf,” admonishes the horned wizard as he ponders his next move, sitting comfortably back in his cushioned chair with his fingertips pressed together in front of his lips. 

“Whatever, shove it up your ass.” The Balance wizard leans forward in his chair (identical to his opponent’s) and grabs one of the huckleberries from the bowl on the table in between them and to his left of the chessboard. Screaming, the tiny huckleberry wiggles to no avail as its shoved unceremoniously in the wizard’s mouth and quieted with a loud crunch. Mouth full, Wolf presses the berry to the corner of his mouth as he speaks. “Foul temper? Who the hell are you talk anyway?”

“Fair enough,” Valkoor murmurs, a faint chuckle accompanying his words as he dips his head and leans forward to move his piece. “Pawn to G6.”

Almost instantly after his opponent’s move, Wolf moves another one of his pieces and grunts. “Why the **** are you so happy anyway? You look like you just got laid.”

Sighing in response to his foul-mouthed companion, Valkoor leans back in his chair once more and places his left ankle upon his right knee. “Must you be so crass?”

“Must you be such a pain in the ass, Mr. I’m-Acting-All-Ippity-Because-I’m-In-A-Castle-And-Sleeping-With-The-Cult-Whore,” he snickers, rolling his eyes as he swallows the huckleberry.

At that, the Horned King’s gaze darkens, and he lowers his head the slightest degree to instead stare at the chess board. “It would be wise to not speak ill of someone upon which our entire plan hinges. She will mean the difference between success and failure. Need I remind you that she is the one who healed your wounds? You’d be dead otherwise.”

“Yeah, right,” he says, although he knows he can’t argue. Turning his head, he rests his jaw upon his knuckles, elbow propped upon the arm of his chair. He looks out the window, gazing upon the courtyard of Ganelon below. Various court officials walk among the fountains, water glistening in the light of the midday sun. “Where the hell is she anyway?”

“She’s speaking with the King for the time being…” he mutters, reaching out again toward the chessboard. “Queen to H4.”

Glancing over to the board, Wolf watches as the other takes one of the black pawns off the board and replaces it with a white queen. “I feel like you’ve taken out all my pieces with that damn queen. There’s not really even a point in playing now, is there?”

“I simply believe that the queen is the most important piece; I am more than pleased to use it to its full potential,” he states matter-of-factly, resting back in his chair. 

“Blah, blah, blah, you and your stupid smart talk. Who gives a shit? Why the hell are we sitting here playing children’s games? We should be carving up bodies and taking baths in blood, not playing castle.”

“We’re playing politics, Wolf. That’s all you need to concern yourself with. You’ll have your chance soon enough,” the Horned King sighs, closing his eyes as he rests his head back on the top of the chair. “Besides, we’ll have more interesting company very, very soon.”

“You mean THEM?” At the thought of Valerian and his team, Wolf growls, wrinkling his nose in his fury. 

“Well...they’ll be here too...I’m expecting them to parade in any day now.”   
Wolf abruptly stands, bristling as he puffs out his chest. “Then what are we waiting here for?! Let’s go! Finish the job!”

“Patience,” interjects Valkoor, smirking as he cracks open one eye. “You’re missing the point. Why waste all that energy? Let them march to us...They are but dead men sticking their heads through our dangling noose. I want to watch them hang themselves, don’t you?”

“Pffft, screw that! Hanging bodies don’t scream!”

At that, Valkoor can’t help but allow himself a small chuckle. “You are correct, but trust in my plan. You’ll hear those screams soon enough, and the longer you wait, the louder they will be.”

“Fine.” Crossing his arms, Wolf plops down onto his cushioned seat, grabbing another huckleberry and silencing it as he had done to the one previous. “Whatever you say, asshole. If it turns out you’re having second thoughts, I’ll slit your throat in your sleep.”

“You know I, of us all, would never doubt our cause,” Valkoor points out, his lazy eye shutting once again as he focuses on the aspects of his plan. They should be arriving soon enough… “But should I become incompetent, I trust you to follow through with that...if you can.”

“Pfft, why? So that redheaded freak can be in charge? That dick is the last person I’d want to follow,” Wolf grumbles, speaking with his mouth full. 

“With his silence, I agree; he would make a poor leader. However, I doubt you would have the strength to best him combat.”

“Yeah, right! I’d put that mo-fo in his goddamn place. I could probably gut him with both eyes shut, and I’d-”

Three firmly placed knocks interrupt the boasting Balance wizard, and he snickers as he looks toward the wooden surface. 

“Come in,” Valkoor invites, not even bothering to acknowledge the entering guests as they stride in. 

Mason Ashhunter steps in with a deeper-than-usual scowl, his hooded gaze falling first upon the paling wizard across the room.

“Ma-Mason! What a surprise!” manages the once cocky wizard, trying to maintain his forced smirk under the malice of the other’s glare. 

“Can it, loudmouth,” grumbles Brian Jade, trudging in behind Mason as he peers around the taller’s form. “We could hear you all the way down the hall.”

“Pfft, whatever,” grunts the Horned King’s second in command, turning his head away to look out the window again in mock interest. 

Valkoor smirks slightly,  lacing his fingers together over his lap. “How was your mission?”

“I think you know…” Brian mumbles, clutching his recently reattached hand with a sour expression. 

“It was a failure, your highness,” Mason states, his glare lightening to the same, dull expression on his face as always. 

Nodding, Valkoor doesn’t even bother to open his eyes as he speaks. “As I thought. Please, have Lilu look at that hand, Jade. Your self healing spells are questionable at best.”

“Yes, sir…” He dips his head, turning toward the door obediently before Valkoor stops him.    
“One more question, Jade.”

“Yes?”

“How...in the name of Morgrim,” he begins, lifting his head as he slowly cranes to look behind him toward the door, “did you manage to **** this up? He was handed to you on a silver platter.”

Under the scrutiny of Valkoor’s amber gaze, the assassin swallows hard, closing his blind eye in a wince. “W-well...ya see, buddy ol’ pal, there was this Calamity-chick, and I just...I thought it would be funny to um...play with her...any well...uh…”

Freezing, Valkoor’s mouth grows dry. That name….where had he heard that name? 

_ Calamity. _

Wait…. **CALAMITY**?!

“Did you just say...Calamity..?” he breathes, his countenance the most shaken either of the failed wizards had seen in a very long time.

“Uh...yeah..? Avalonian fox…’bout yay-high?” Brian gestures to about his shoulder with his good hand.

A darkness settles over the room, and outright outrage blossoms over the white visage of the Horned King. “AND?”

Taking a step back, Brian knots his brows together as he feels an odd tingling sensation over his skin...as if it were starting to die and peel off in just a matter of seconds. Gravity seemed to intensify, time slowing and every muscle in his body aching. “Sh-she escaped with Legendmancer…”

“WHAT?! She’s traveling with the wizards?”

“Yeah, I think so…”

“YOU **IMBECILES**!!!!”

Almost simultaneously, the other wizards in the room can feel the depressing aura gathering in the room around the king. Within seconds, Brian falls to his knees, screaming in pain as his skin begins to turn black and red as he decomposes from the outside in, flakes of skin falling to the floor and coated in the pitter patter of red. Mason is soon to follow, leaning on the nearby wall as he tries to fight it behind the strength of a tower shield. Laying on his back, Wolf writhes, unable to even find the strength to cast a defensive spell. 

“OUT! GET OUT! ALL OF YOU!” he bellows, the aura getting stronger and drawing out more screams. 

Scrambling to his feet, Brian is the first to reach the door, falling past the threshold and crawling away. He’s followed suit by Mason and Wolf, the last of which collapses just outside and is subsequently dragged by Mason before the door is abruptly shut by an unknown force. 

With a furious growl, Valkoor turns on his feet to flip the already decomposing chessboard, the wooden pieces scattering over the blackening carpeted floor. “ **DAMMIT!** ”

Pacing now back and forth in the room, the flowers in the vases wilt, paint fading and wooden furniture rotting. Death seems to loom over the room like a thick haze of burning tar. Valkoor takes it all in with his panicked and angered breaths, restraining himself from lashing out at any of the other inanimate objects in the room even as his boots crunch the disintegrating wooden pieces beneath his feet. 

“Tsk, tsk, I leave for ten minutes. Oh dear~” giggles a familiar voice, and Valkoor swings around to a nostalgic green-clad figure. 

_ “Lilu…” _

“My, my, what a mess you’ve made,” comments the witch, grinning as she lifts the skirt of her rather poofy green gown and daintily steps over one of the wooden pieces. 

“Now isn’t the time for your childish reprimandments,” Valkoor hisses, gritting his teeth as he regards the other suspiciously. 

With a smirk, she cozies up to her superior with the batting of her thick lashes. “Oh~? Whenever have you not needed them?”

“They have never been useful,” huffs the white haired king, glancing away to ignore his shorter companion. 

“Hmm~ So you say. What about that one time when Cody got drunk~” she giggles, raising a brow as the other’s expression darkens. 

Valkoor’s brows furrow, looking at the green haired Life witch staring off in the distance with an oddly fond face. “Who?”

“Oh! I’ve got just the thing! A massage! You’re always so...tense~” cooes the green haired witch, turning her attention back on the Death wizard as she runs her hands up his arms to rub at his biceps. 

Choosing to ignore her slip, he shakes his head and lets out a long exhale. “Lilu, how was your discussion with the king?”

“Hmm? The King? What king?” she asks, shrugging as she focuses on her mini massage. 

“Artorius,” reminds the wizard, his gaze returning to their suspicious position. 

“Atori-oh! Yes! I remember now~ The fuzzy bear~ He was too cute, hehe! Just wanted to gobble him all up! He talked about the things you said he would! This disguise is all too ingenious, darling,” she praises, looking up at him with her dollish eyes. 

“Yes...I see…” he murmurs, looking her up and down for any more cracks in her otherwise perfect features. No….she couldn’t be...already… No, it was nothing. Nothing more than a few miscalculations. This is to be expected. “Good.”

“So, what had you all worked up without me?” pouts Lilu, curling her lower lip as she pokes him on the top of his nose. “That’s not allowed, you know.”

“It’s nothing….Just an unforeseen complication with the wizards…”

“Oh, like what~?” she presses, raising a brow as she runs the tips of her fingers along his left temple. 

“Nothing I cannot deal with appropriately,” he says, avoiding an answer for the time being as he shivers at the other’s touch. 

“Well, if it’s nothing, perhaps I can help you destress a little bit~? You are such a busy man, after all. You can’t dance with stiff joints~” Lilu teases, grinning playfully as she stands on her toes. 

Valkoor freezes as if her breath were taking his own away, completely surrendering to her will within a matter of seconds. He doesn’t know how she can do it...cancel out his rage so quickly and easily and then replace it with a desire different than his one to kill and conquer. 

This power, he knows, is dangerous. 

“Let me indulge you, even if just for a little while, mon cheri?” she giggles, those dreadful fingers brushing along his jaw to cup his chin. 

Hatred melting under her heavy, green gaze, he can only manage a whisper before he’s strung silly by a master puppeteer. 

_ ”Yes, my queen.” _


	32. The Calm Before the Storm

A gentle breeze brushes past the flap of the tent and rustles my fur, rousing rest from me. My whiskers twitch of their own accord, and I lower my jaw and curl my long tongue as a long, unexpected yawn joins the breeze and the otherwise silence of camp. 

I honestly don’t remember ever falling asleep, and I’m loathe to open my eyes as the promise of sleeping in is something very appealing at the moment...Maybe I should try to fall back asleep...that would be nice. 

Rolling over, I try to ignore the sharp pain of a rock under by hip and curl up on the grassy surface beneath me. Mmm...sleeeepppp…

I could stay here forever.

“Mmmm...pum...pernickel…” 

A faint murmur snaps my eyes wide open, and every strand of fur on my body prickles as I stare into the pale face of a certain ivory-haired wizard. His hair feathers out over his brow, lashes fluttering against his faintly rosy cheeks, and his hand rests beside his face, clutching gently at the pillow upon which his head rests. He makes for an innocent picture, and I’m too horrified by the thought of having slept in such close proximity to him to even move…

What...happened last night? It’s hard to remember…

There was...a game...and...alcohol. Drunk...I remember that they got drunk and…

It’s all coming back to me like a shot-by-shot cinematic, and as I start to recall why I’m here, my throat begins to tighten. 

I...remember...that they said that...Agravaine...committed suicide...Well, maybe not quite, but...assisted nonetheless. 

It doesn’t make sense to me.

Why would Agravaine do something like that? Why would he even dabble in magic? Knights don’t need magic!

They must be lying! They’d have to be! None of it makes sense.

As I look upon Valerian’s sleeping face, I find it hard to imagine that this is the creature that took everything from me. How could he...be sleeping so soundly knowing what he has done? Then again, in his drunken hysterics, it’s quite obvious that he’s more desperate to forget about his crimes than I am to escape from this whole ordeal. 

At the beginning, he didn’t seem like this at all. In fact, the idea of me killing him was nothing more than a laughing matter for him. Even though he tried to change my mind at first, I think the more that has happened, the more he has been willing to fulfill my wish. Honestly, his tune changed after our match and the events of his birthday. 

Could it be that he recognized I had the ability and strength to actually fulfill that wish?

The feeling of fingers brushing against my hand makes me jump, and my muzzle snaps toward the still slumbering wizard beside me. His hand rests gently on my own, and I stare at it in mute horror. There’s something grotesquely reassuring about it, and while it makes my skin crawl, it also manages to do quite the opposite. My mind is nothing except a mixed bag of emotions, and all I can do is stare at that...that abomination touching my hand. 

Following up the length of his arm, I rest my gaze upon his face, watching those ivory lashes twitch against his cheeks. He’ll be waking up soon...and I don’t know what I’d do if he woke up to this...predicament. Would...moving my hand wake him up? 

Oh please no…

In the names of all creators of the Spiral, please don’t let that be the case.  

Slowly pulling my hand out from under his, I sit up slowly, my eyes never leaving his resting face to gauge the probability of his waking up….

Good...Sound asleep...for now anyway. We can’t afford to sleep in all day…

_ Tonight is the ball… _

Everything has been leading up to this point. It seems that...things have really slowed down since our last encounter with the Ministry. Yet, there’s a tingling under my fur; something is coming. I don’t know what it is, but it’s something that makes my very whiskers tremble. Part of me wants to let them sleep in...stall us so that we don’t reach it in time, but I know that’s not an option.

With a side glance toward the white haired Savior, I think about waking him up for a moment...but the light shining through the tent isn’t quite bright enough to signal high morning...and I want a few minutes of silence before I have to listen to his mouth. Part of me just wants to brush last night off. It was a complete disaster...I wouldn’t even know what to say about it if anyone asked. 

Standing, I tiptoe out of the tent into strong scent of morning dew--the sky still a light greyish pink with sunrise. My feet ache, having never slipped them off last night before passing out. Leaning against a nearby tree, I take them off, stretching my toes out in the wet grass. 

The small glade in which we’ve set out camp is glistening with jewels of sweet water, mirroring the stars still twinkling in the awakening sky. Those logs set up as makeshift benches are darker in their dampness, and smoke still wafts from the charred remains of last night’s fire to combine with the otherwise freshness of the air. Our tents positioned near the quaint little retreat are heavy with the dew, and some prepared to dump upon those unlucky enough to lift the flap whenever they emerge from their dens. It’s all a peaceful sight to take in...

Peaceful as it is, however...who’s on watch?

Glancing around the campsite, I don’t see anyone around…

I guess, the duty falls on me…Grabbing that stupid rapier leaning against one of the felled logs, I walk out of the clearing into the dense forest. 

I don’t particularly mind going out barefoot in these woods...well, I don’t since I’m not going far. As I step over a few thorny branches, I step up onto a tree stump and glance around whilst buckling my belt around my waist. Ears perked, I’m only met with silence. The forest itself seems to be asleep...not even the birds are awake yet. 

Sitting down with my legs dangling just centimeters from the ground, my solitudinous watch turns more into a time of quiet reflection instead of a time of alert security. 

Agravaine...what happened? Is it true? Did you really try to use magic? 

It doesn’t matter if Valerian murdered him in cold blood or killed him as per my brother’s wish. Magic did this...plain and simple…

I don’t know if helping these wizards will really save Avalon or not...either way...I’m helping magic prevail...and from what I’ve witnessed...magic has brought nothing but pain…

I don’t...really know what...I’m supposed to do. At any rate, I can’t afford to doubt anymore. I just need to focus on getting them to the castle...from there...I’ll go back home...There’s no place for me in this war. The most I can do is defend my homeland...Whatever the King decides for us is final…

Staring out over the vast expanse of the forest, I trace the contours of vines winding like one’s nervous system, connecting every organism to one another in this vast ecosystem. Blankets of moss hang from branches, shielding them from the cold of early morning, the dapples of sunlight just barely starting to peek through the canopy above. Trees of yesteryear lay upon the ground in troves, some protected by the luscious green quilt of earth...others still comforted by the receding layer of fog. 

Leaning back onto my hands, I ignore the slight sting of the wood into my palms and instead listen to the symphony of the woods. In the distance, the first woodpecker of the morning has awoken, stirring the life of this vast green wilderness. As I sit here, listening, I almost wish I could stay here forever...Things would be so much simpler this way...wouldn’t it?

By some cruel streak of fate to ruin a perfectly good morning, low voices catch my attention, and I turn my head to the right to catch a glance of movement through the thick mess of vines and deciduous leaves. Ears standing tall, I crane my head to the left in order to try and see whether or not they’re one of ours, but I can’t make anything out. To make matters worse, they’re talking too quietly to properly hear…

Sliding off my perch, my bare feet make it easier to tread lightly in their direction without a sound, and I near closer, I can make out the familiar voices.

“...not to say it wasn’t...but we both know it can’t happen again…” 

_Vanessa.._.

I can make out her figure as I glance around a tree, her and her companion standing among a tangle of roots. She’s already fully dressed in her usual gear, apparently ready for the day’s journey. Arms crossed, her raven hair seems to hang in her face as she refuses to make eye contact with a particular Balance wizard. 

“That seems...perfectly logical…” agrees Angel, nodding slowly, but there’s an expression on his face that I’ve never seen before. I could be wrong, though it seems a lot like...hurt…

_ (From what I’ve gathered from the numerous looks from the Balance wizard toward the ice cold witch in the last few weeks, I’m assuming he must have admitted his feelings to the other and it went terribly wrong…) _

“Then...we are in agreement?” she asks, holding out a hand in his direction. 

He seems hesitant...perhaps even loathe to take her hand, but he does so, shaking it gently as he looks away. “Yes...one hundred percent...”

“Well...good…”

They pull away their hands, but don’t move from there as if unsure of where to go from there. Awkwardly still, they fall into a heavy silence, and it’s from there that I take my cue to leave. I should get back before they do...lest they become suspicious of me…

Pressing my back against a tree, I move to leave when I hear a pair boots trample through the forest toward camp…

Well then...I guess there goes that idea…

Perhaps staying here would be the better option after all…I could just stay here and say I was on watch, and I didn’t notice them here…Yes, that’s probably the best route. 

Relaxing, I lay my head against the tree, eyes closed and listening as the boots get further and further away, decrescendoing. As the moments pass, the sound of the forest becomes prominent again, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. 

Turning my head around the trunk of my tree shield, I flinch, caught like a stag face-to-face with a hunter…

There stands Vanessa--alone--as she stands there staring at an odd pendant. The silver chain is loosely wrapped around her gloved fingers, blue gem glittering in her palm despite the lack of direct sunlight. She turns it over as if reading something on the back, and she doesn’t seem interested in much else. 

All right. Fine. I’ll just...slowly tiptoe back to my spot...and everything will be just...

_ Fssss! _

An arrow whizzes by my head just moment after I step away from the safety of my not-so-amazing hideaway, sinking its serrated tip into the bark of a dead tree. The wind of the projectile stirs my whiskers, and I stand still as I look from the corner of my eyes over at the ever-scowling Ice witch. Her stance is rigid, almost unnatural, and the bow she just used is nigh dangling from her limp hand at her side. She’s far from the usual proud stature she presents others with, and the most disturbing feature is the red tint to her eyes and cheeks...They’re almost puffy...as if she’d been crying. 

Swallowing, she speaks, but its a sound low and lacking of any of her usual snarky confidence. “What...did you hear?”

The way I see it now, I have two choices. Either run like a friar with his holy book on fire and HOPE that she doesn’t fire another arrow (cause next time won’t miss), or stay here and try to talk my way out of it. 

“Not much…” I mutter honestly, still frozen in spot as I’m pretty sure that making any sudden movements is a bad idea. 

Nodding slowly, she glances away, head lowered and black hair shadowing over her face. “Just...keep your mouth shut…”

A breath of relief falls from my muzzle, and I bow my head toward her in my solace. Thinking I’m scot-free, I take a step forward only to hear my name.

“Calamity…”

“What?”

Her free arm comes up to grab her other elbow in a moment of...perhaps bashfulness, and she still refuses to meet my gaze. “I want to apologize...for last night...and my recent rude behavior. It was wrong of me. I made a lot of mistakes last night, and I’m probably going to regret them for a long time. I don’t want to have to have more guilt than I already do. Sincerely, what I said about your brother wasn’t my place to tell you. For that, I apologize.”

Taken aback by her apology, I blink, and I don’t know what compelled me to step forward into somewhat open space and join her among the tangle of roots, but here I stand face-to-face on the same grounds as a wizard. “...Um...thank you…” I manage, nodding once. I don’t know what she’s talking about with those regrets, but it’s not my business. The less opposition I have with her and the rest of the group, the faster we’ll make it to Ganelon. That’s all I care about. 

“Don’t get the wrong idea...I don’t support you trying to kill Valerian...the whole idea is incredibly naive...but it was uncalled for...what I did...to tell you the truth in such a way...I-”

Holding up my hand, my brow twitches in annoyance. I got it. I already accepted the apology. What the hell else does she want? Does she want my sympathy? As I stand near her, I can almost see the stains of tears on her from earlier, and the smell of the other wizard on her is...almost overbearing...Too strong to be a coincidence...and it kinda makes me sick. 

“Look, the truth is the truth. Either way, your kind caused this. He still dealt the final blow. You wizards can be killing each other to extinction all the way to the very end for all I care. Thanks for the apology, but I can deal with my regrets just fine. And for the record, I don’t know what earlier was about...but your smell doesn’t paint a pleasant picture. You can take over watch. I’m going back to camp. We move out as soon as the sun is fully in the sky.”

I don’t even bother to pay attention to whatever expression is on her face. I don’t care. I just push past her toward camp, and I don’t know why...but my blood is boiling...my fur is crawling as if there’s a thousand tiny fleas nibbling at my skin, hitting every nerve on my body…

It’s almost as if there’s something in the air…something looming over us…watching us…

And it makes me _angry..._

 

**Xxx**

 

Valkoor lounges in his chair with a smirk plastered on his tan face, watching the glass orb between the palms of Brian’s hands. His hand caresses the bare thigh of the green witch happily relaxing in his lap, one of her hands tracing the contours of one of his horns. 

The nearby fireplace glows upon the members of the Ministry casually taking up one of the many sitting rooms of Ganelon Keep. Lilu basks in the direct light of the flame, her green nightgown in sharp contrast to the rare tux shaping Valkoor’s body. In fact, all but her are in their evening formal attire, prepared for the night soon to come.

“Is this them now?” he asks, watching the vixen form standing in front of a certain raven haired archer. 

“Yeah, that’s them,” remarks the assassin, pulling away his newly stitched hand to point at the red figure displayed. “Well...that’s HER…”

“Hmm, I don’t know why you’re so worried by some furry like her. I’d carve that bitch in my sleep,” mutters Wolf, snickering as he leans against a nearby windowsill. “Why don’t we just storm down there right now and kill them while we’ve got time?”

“There’d be blood in my clothes, Wolf,” Brian snaps, rolling his eyes as he regards the silver haired Death wizard dressed in formal Krokotopian robes with nothing except plain ol’ irritance. 

“I think blood is a lovely color, tee-hee~!” giggles Lilu, grinning as she presses her head lightly against the horned king’s temple. 

The eyes in the room fall upon the green witch, Wolf raises a brow at the demented woman. “Dude, that’s one sick ass bitch.”

“Hehe, you’re always funny with your language, Wolfie,” chides a purple haired witch, and Jazz yawns as she stretches out further to lie on her belly atop a nearby table, feet pointed toward the ceiling and swaying back and forth. Her pink outfit stands in sharp contrast to the near shadow in the corner of the room; Mason. 

The red haired demon glares across the room, staring past Jazz and toward the orb in Brian’s hand. Noticing his glance, Valkoor smirks, but he doesn’t say a word about it, knowing the witch that has his full attention. 

“Seriously, boss, why DON’T we kill them now?” Wolf sneers, looking at the glass orb and then at the white haired wizard. 

“Why do all that work when they can come to us? They all seem so willing...and it would be a shame to put our performance together and have no audience to watch. Isn’t that right, Lilu?” he explains, glancing at his green companion who grins in return.    
“I’ve always wanted to be a star actress, darling~”

“Soon enough the curtain will rise,” Valkoor says with a nod, watching the fox in the image storm away from the Ice witch. “And when the audience lays their eyes upon the opening act tonight, they’ll see my queen move...for the checkmate.”

 

**Xxx**

 

A long moan interrupts the quiet of the Avalonian countryside, the expansive plateau gently swaying with a soft breeze. From the tall grass, two forms broke out from the otherwise flat land, one trudging after the other one with a less than pleased expression on her face. 

“Are you sure this isn’t the back slang? Seems awful skilamalink if you ask me.”

“I’m certain. You sure are a church-bell this morning,” comments the leader, giggling as she pulls a few strands of defiant, golden hair from her goggles. The short strands mirror the golden grass at their feet, and the goggled girl dressed in leather and buckles walks on with her hands in her unbuttoned trench coat pockets. 

“Ay, don’t sell me a dog. You’d ‘ave to be ‘alf-rats to go this way, and you know it,” mumbles the other, the dual swords behind her rattling with every step her boots take. Arms crossed, she glowers as thinks of all the seeds sticking to her prized stockings...and possibly even to the bottom of her green dress. 

The blonde stop at the end of the plateau, the one that had been following straightens the obnoxiously large bow tied around her neck and huffs. Her green eyes narrow at the white castle glittering at the foot of the steep cliff between them and it. “Well, isn’t this mad as ‘ops? We’re gonna break our bodies befo’ we make it down this cliff!”   
“Hmmm...meater~” teases the shorter blonde, winking at the other almost completely alike in outward features. 

“Am not!” denies the taller, turning her head away as she stamps her foot. “I’m just stating the obvious!” 

Putting her hands on her hips belted, the goggled one leans forward with an accusing expression. “Well, don’t get your bubbies all knicker-knacked. Tonight’s the night...There’s no going back. Valerian needs us...and we can’t give up now! What do ya say? Let’s give ‘em a bit of the Gear Twins, what do ya say, ol’ chuckaboo?!”

“Ay, fine,” sighs the other, putting a hand to her identically short, blonde hair and turning to glance at the musketeer. “But ya owe me fifty brass...I ‘ave a feeling this is gonna go all cattywampus…”

Nodding, the goggled witch turns her attention back toward the castle and takes a step closer to the cliff’s edge. “Agreed. I ‘ope we’ll make it in time...”  


	33. Lily

_ This...is it.  _

_ The end of a chapter. _

_ Through toil and trouble, we’ve fought.  _

_ I cannot afford to look back now...It isn’t even a choice.  _

As I incline my head upwards to look upon the daunting sight before me, there’s a thrill somewhere in my bones, mixing with the fear that’s steadily growing with every passing second. I don’t know how I would describe it other than the adrenaline you get when you know that everything you have is at stake. 

_ Tonight, I cannot make mistakes.  _

I feel small and insignificant in the shadows of Ganelon Keep--nothing more than a red spec on the exquisite tiles of the courtyard. Masses of creatures from all over the Spiral are gathered around me, pushing past one another to get to the massive gates of the main castle. Among them, my insecurity grows, and I look over at the guards taking invitations and looking them over one by one.

There he is...like they said he would be. 

Standing at the gate is none other than the silver-haired axe-wielder that had appeared at Valerian’s birthday. He’s just sitting there on the railing to the left with his feet hanging centimeters from the ground and back slouched like a dying flytrap. Elbows on his knees, his hands hang there directly in the middle of the space between his legs, and he eyes every entry with a confident gleam in his eyes…the same one he had been wearing when he had charged at me then. Based on his skills back then, it was mere luck that Vanessa had managed to catch him off guard. I doubt that my new sword would stand a chance in battle against him…

“Are you all right, Calamity?” comes a familiar squeak, and I glance to my right at the suit-clad Burrower standing beside me. He must have noticed my hesitance…

“I’m fine…” With a sigh, my ears flatten as my fingers tighten their grip around the hilt of my rapier in an effort to keep from visibly trembling. “Just...running through the plan one more time…”

Skeet nods briefly, his hands clasped behind his back and posture stiffer than usual. “As am I. Take as much time as you need.” 

Much to the little remaining amusement I have, I can tell that his petite, pink nose is twitching almost spastically, his eyes dilated and fixated on the white, stone walls of Ganelon. In a way, he’s almost reflecting what I’ve been feeling on the inside, and I can’t help the twitch of a smirk on my muzzle. “Are you afraid?”

“Afraid? Of course, I am! I’m a mouse, aren’t I? What excuse do you have, Savage?” he guffaws, throwing me a glare and a nickname he hasn’t used for me since our understanding back in Polaris. The way his ears seem to expand and his fur stands on end is almost comical, and briefly, I wonder what I look like when I’m that pissed off. 

“Heh...I don’t think being a mouse has anything to do with it,” I reply, and I can hear Vanessa snicker behind us. 

“Will you please get on with it?” is her impatient growl, and I glance back at the raven-haired figure. She’s dressed in a slim, white, halter-top dress reaching to the silvery heels wrapped around her almost comically tiny feet, and I have to remind myself why she needs to be wearing such ridiculously impractical clothing…In fact, she looks almost unrecognizable in this get-up, and with the silver winged eyeshadow and curled, ebony locks, I might have mistaken her for someone else had it not been for her cruel, blue glare. 

Well, I’m not necessarily comfortable in my own attire. While I typically enjoy leather vests (much like the one Merryweather had sewn me), I don’t necessarily like it being parted to almost midway down my chest. Half of me thinks that if I bend over, I’ll come falling out of it…

But that isn’t really important right now...I have a lot more to worry about at the present time.

Swallowing my fear, I lock my gaze onto Wolf (I believe that was his name) and take the first step. Every stride...every movement of my legs feels heavier than the last, and I have to fight to keep my arms from shaking any more than my nerves are. Skeet isn’t far behind me, and Vanessa is likely taking her sweet time in those stupid heels.

As I near him, he looks up at me with that same, confident smirk, and he straightens his posture a little bit in his intrigue. 

“My, my, look what the party dragged in~” he croons, grinning now as I stand at the gates with a badger knight on either side of the doors. My breath holds as he looks at the three of us, but his gaze fixates on Vanessa appreciatively. It isn’t very hard to figure out what he’s staring at when his grin widens the slightest amount. “Well, who is this lovely lady? I don’t remember those curls being on the guest list, though I’d be happy to **** them right off of you.”

At his crude language, I can’t help but glower, and my nerves are replaced by an irritance directed at his rude demeanor.

“It is my greatest honour to introduce Knyaginya Glacierblade, the last of her royal blood and heir to the Polarian throne,” Skeet says, doing better than I would have should I have answered Wolf’s inappropriate comment. He discreetly nudges me, maintaining his impossibly perfect attitude. “Please accept our invitation.”

I pull a white envelope stamped with the real seal of a bear and hand it to the wizard without a word, trying to avoid direct eye contact. He takes it, looking over the front and back of it for a moment, and then shrugging. 

“Eh, sounds good enough. Go on in, your ‘highness.’ I’ll be here all night if you change your mind~” he says, gesturing to the open doors with a hand and a slight bow. Vanessa only nods in response, entering the castle without a word (which is probably for the best). 

As I turn to follow, the Balance wizard sticks out one of his feet, stopping my retreat, and I follow up the length of his leg to the curious gleam in his dull, brown eyes. “Do I know you?"

_ ****. _

The question is enough to chill me to the core, and I can’t formulate a response on the spot. Skeet doesn’t turn to help me, that much I can see what I try throwing a glance of desperation in his direction. I’m very much on my own, and my throat gets drier with every passing moment. 

“Well?” he presses, tilting his head. I watch his hands twitch slightly as if readying to reach behind him and unsheathe the axes strapped to his back, and the thought of fighting before we even had the chance to get inside is frightening. 

“Uh...um...No sir,” I manage, fighting the urge to swallow despite the hoarseness of my voice. “I’m but a lowly page commissioned by the Knight of the Weirdwood to escort Her Highness here safely.”

There...believable enough...

His eyes narrow in thought for a moment, letting my lie sink in fully. In fact, his gaze seems rather pointed at something in particular, and I wonder if I’ve done something to stain or ruin the new uniform I’m wearing. As I fight the urge to look down to find the source of his interest, he shrugs, lowers his foot. “All right, whatever. Go on ahead.” 

Restraining my relieved sigh, I nod and follow after Skeet and Vanessa with a brisk pace, and as I pass the threshold into the lush entrance of the castle, I can hear his last, crude remark. 

_ “And by the way, nice tits." _

 

**Xxx**

 

Wolf watches the three enter with a bemused expression, savoring the way the fox uncomfortably straightened at his last remark. He loved getting a rise out of people, and the reaction he’d gotten was golden in his eyes. 

Glancing down at the white envelope and ignoring the newcomers at the gate trying to hand him their own invitations, he can’t help but chuckle quietly to himself. They put on quite the show…However, he wasn’t a dumb man by any standards. While he might not be as clever as Valkoor, he wasn’t the bottom of the totem pole. To think that they could pull such a half-***ed trick and believe it would work was almost...insulting. 

Tearing the envelope in half, he tosses it over his shoulders into the stream-like moat beneath him. “They’re here,” he says aloud, smirking at the Wandering Eye hovering above. “Let Him know…”

 

**Xxx**

 

As I enter the room after Skeet and Vanessa, I lose sight of them in the crowd, only garnering glances of the witch’s white attire among the many figures all crowded around. It doesn’t matter whether or not I find her or not at this point… 

We’re in; that’s all that matters. 

I can only hope that the others were as successful as we were…

With a long, content exhale, my shoulders relax, and I lean against the farthest wall from the two thrones sitting on the opposite side of the room. The sound of violins revive the image of a certain sophistication I haven’t had the chance to hear in ages. Everywhere around me, creatures of all shapes and backgrounds stand in close quarters, sharing tongues over libations. The glittering silver and green of the ballroom seems to dance across the floor in place of the empty center of the room. 

Although the music compels me to join the lights in their solitudinous merriment, I’m rooted to my spot, watching the crowds of creatures laughing and enjoying the company of one another. It’s not like the get-togethers I’m used to in Lower Caer Lyon and High Road, dancing around the bonfire, telling battle stories, and singing to our local legends. There’s an air of superiority pressing upon me, freezing me to the outskirts of the revelry. Even this upper-class setting makes me want to speak differently both inside and out, and I can’t help but feel out of place in this world I’m both familiar and unaccustomed with.

A server, a rather stoic bloodhound dressed in fine tux, walks past me with a silver tray balanced perfectly upon his wide paw. The shining of the glasses of champagne he’s carrying catches my attention, and I almost instinctively reach out to grab one of them, nodding in thanks to him as he goes on his merry way to fulfill his duty. 

Now it’s just a waiting game...

Glancing at the glass chandelier above, I let out a deep sigh, fingers clutching the flute in my right hand as the cool champagne can be felt even through the glass. Soon enough, this adventure will be over for me, and I’ll have to make the choice. Do I complete my task...or do I forgive Him?

As I look to my right, I can see him across the room, laughing as he stands beside Angel and gossips with one of the king’s many court officials. He’s dressed in a tux similar to the bloodhound from earlier, disguised as one of the many waiters as he holds a tray of fancy truffles in his right hand. The badger shakes his finger at the Storm wizard, chiding him for something before the both of them nearly double over in raucous mirth. Angel, clad in a white tux and blue ascot, only shakes his head, seemingly nearly as uncomfortable in this place as I am; however, one would have expected a prince to be more suited to this sort of environment than a humble knight. 

“Are you okay?” 

A timid voice catches my attention, and I look over to my left at the petite Death witch standing beside me. Although she’s slightly taller, there’s no mistaking the height difference between her and her fellow counterparts. 

“I’m fine,” I grumble, ears flattening as I glance aside, though I can’t help but notice how different she looks in her newfound attire. 

The rose patterns on her ebony dress seem to accentuate her youthful (almost childish) appearance, flat-heeled, black shoe gently rubbing the sole of her foot against the smooth surface of the floor. Brushing back the hair from her right eye, she plays her skull necktie absentmindedly, and her white hair casts a shadow over her equally pale visage, amber eyes not daring to make eye contact with mine. Compared to her redheaded counterpart, she fits in at this party no more than an exquisite vase found in the corner of the room. 

“O-oh…” she begins, her customary blush staining her cheeks as she tries to find something else to rest her eyes upon. “You just seemed...more...odd than usual...I thought y-you could use the company…Before things get...you know...”

I’m tempted to shrug her off and find the nearest hall to hide in, but something keeps me from moving. Whether its the way I sympathize with her uncomfortableness here or just the attachment I’ve seemed to have found in these past few days, I’m not really sure. There’s just...something in that innocently painted face I can’t seem to refuse. I hate this connection I’ve found to these wizards…

“I think it’s the opposite way around,” I manage, trying to force a shaky smile. Sweet Bartelby, I’ve probably offended her...It came out differently than I’d hoped, but she doesn’t turn from me. 

She instead manages a small smile back, nodding briefly as she looks throughout the crowd for signs of her partner. “I guess you could say that…”

Mariah is standing around in a red cheongsam with her flaming hair done in a braided bun. She’s as extravagant as ever, the golden flowers on her red attire contrasting sharply with the green eyes focused on whoever it is she’s talking to at the moment. Whoever it is, I pray they have the patience for her babble. 

As I look around the room, I finally manage to track down Vanessa, standing by herself near the east exit with her ever-present glare. 

So...she’s already in position…

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what exactly she’s glaring at, and I watch the awkward staring contest between the Princess of Polaris and the Prince of Aggrobah. They’ve been looking at each other like that for the past day now, and I don’t necessarily care what they’re deal is as long as things go as planned. 

“What do you think their problem is?” I mutter, glancing toward Scarlet who shifts uncomfortably...probably having noticed the exchange as well. 

She shakes her head, shrugging her shoulders in her ignorance. “I...don’t know...They m-must have gotten in a fight...but...I haven’t heard anything…”

Nodding slowly, I watch Angel turn his head away, saying something to Valerian discreetly as he takes a truffle from the tray and heads toward the west exit. Valerian then excuses himself from the badger he’s been speaking with and heads in our direction. 

“May I interest you in a truffle, ladies?” he asks with a smirk, one white brow raising into the mess of his unkempt bangs. One arm behind his back, he holds the tray balancing on his other hand out toward us, the multi-colored candies on full display, but they aren’t what catch my attention. 

Taking one of the candies, I nod briskly. “Thank you, sir.”

“Anything for you miss?” he asks Scarlet with a wink, and she blushes. 

“No, sir. Someone told me that they would be bringing me a glass of water in fifteen minutes,” she says politely, shaking her head as Valerian takes a second to process her statement and then bows. 

As the Storm wizard walks off, I look down at my candied treat with mild interest, and my fingers play with the tiny piece of paper sticking underneath it. Taking a bite of the small delicacy, I take the paper into the palm of my hand and look over at Scarlet. “You should probably talk with Mariah. I’m not very good company,” I say, and stick out my hand toward the small witch. “It was nice meeting you.”

She pauses in thought for a moment, a little caught of guard, before nodding and taking my hand. “It was nice m-meeting you as well,” she says, and as her hand pulls away, her fingers conceal the small slip of paper. Without any time to lose, she briskly walks over to her red haired companion, and I turn my gaze toward the crowd in an attempt to weed out Skeet. 

East exit. West exit. The only other exit is the south, so even though I don’t see him there, it’s likely that he’s somewhere near it. As most of the guests have come through that entrance, it’s hard to see through the large group of those loitering around the entrance as if no one else needs to get through. 

Taking another bite of my truffle and setting my half-empty glass of champagne on the tray of a passerby server, I look over at the empty thrones. 

Fifteen minutes, huh? That’s plenty of time...maybe too much. 

As the violins are joined in harmony with the accompanying orchestra, the tension in the room seems to be building. Among the many faces here, I don’t see anyone (other than my fellow teammates) that’s familiar… I would have bet my sword that I’d see more than just one Ministry member at the front door. Perhaps the other members are at the other doors...Angel might have seen one at his gate...if not Scarlet and Mariah….

Regardless, I still can’t help this feeling I have...like a dark presence that I just can’t shake…

I’ve felt this before...LIke something was dreadfully wrong--a feeling of impending doom. As time goes on and the orchestra seems to escalate, the feeling gets stronger...almost closer…

Part of me thinks that this feeling is a lot like what I experienced at Valerian’s birthday moments before Reynard...But….this is different...There’s something...twisted...psychotic….nigh maddening… I can’t quite put a claw on it, but it seems to be an entity all on its own. While the aura I’d felt was most definitely Valkoor, and yes, I can sense that again, that presence of sheer madness and death is just as frightening. 

Time moves slower the closer we get to the promised moment, and I quickly grow anxious as I pad toward the South entrance to ensure Skeet is in position. As I quickly root out the mouse standing next to the threshold, the orchestra comes to a halt, and trumpets blair in a cacophony loud enough to warrant my growl of annoyance. Honestly, there’s no point to play that many trumpets that loudly in such an enclosed area. It’s just stupid. 

“Presenting their royal majesties, King Artorius and Queen Gwendolyn: the Morning and Night of Avalon!” announces a rather proud crustacean, a large claw gesturing to the side as two figures appear from the side. 

In all my years as an Avalonian, I have never had the privilege to lay eyes upon the king and queen and person. Brother had said that the King was a sight to behold, as much so was the Queen whose beauty as well as ferocity was known throughout the kingdom. I can feel myself trembling in my boots as I see the mighty Bear King escorting the elegant fox toward the throne beside his own. He’s as large and fearsome as all the tales have told. His blockish snout might be scarred and tinged with a silvery lining of his true age, but the sheer size and the way he holds himself would leave no bravery in any that would dare to challenge him. The golden crown upon his head glimmers under the lights of the chandelier above, and as he turns to face the crowd bowing to him, I falter under his dark, stern stare. 

Resting on one knee, I dip my head and look at the tiled floor beneath me….

The king and queen are less than twenty feet from me…

That knowledge seeps in slowly, and I can feel my heart hammering in my chest. The reality of what’s happening is becoming more apparent to me by the minute, and as Artorius takes his seat, I dare to look up at the couple. Dressed in their armor, the two look as if they’re ready for combat…

“Rise, subjects,” orders the king, and he motions upward with his huge paw. 

All at once, we stand again, and I glance toward Skeet who looks almost identical to his appearance earlier with his twitching, pink nose and wide eyes. I guess I’m not the only one daunted by their large presence. 

Suddenly, the trumpets flare again, and all eye lay upon the crustacean who clears his throat to speak again. “Presenting his royal majesty, the Horned King of Death, Leader of Morgrim’s Ministry, and Servant Unto Lord Morgrim Himself, Valkoor of Ashblood!”

The room, though already still, is silent enough to hear Skeet’s quiet, quick breaths, and the intensity of the room grows tenfold as a certain familiar face presents itself on the mini stage beside the already residing royalty. There stands Valkoor, a smug expression on his pale face, and his hands rest casually clasped behind his back as he stands tall beside Gwendolyn’s chair. From where I stand, his horns seem taller than before, his shoulders broader...and his overall presence more intimidating than last. 

However, it doesn’t take long to notice the grim countenance of the Bear King nearby, and Gwendolyn’s hand rests gently upon his paw, trying to lend silent comfort. Whatever is going on, he isn’t necessarily thrilled about it. 

Which means that the likelihood of this succeeding is growing by the second…

“Ladies and gentlemen of all species,” begins the egotistical wizard, gesturing with his hands now as he speaks. “Welcome to such a splendid occasion. I am so honoured that all of you could come to witness the making of history.”

As I look through the crowd, I can see Vanessa and Angel in their positions, Scarlet and Mariah near the front of the masses. Valerian weaves through the crowd, still passing out truffles, though I can see his gaze is fixated solely on Valkoor. 

“For too long, the Spiral has been under the corruption of pride and greed. The Spiral is falling apart spiritually, morally, and in many places, physically. In short, worlds are more corrupt than ever, and the only thing to undo this is to be reset. This is the mission of the Ministry, and quite often, we have been misunderstood, but no longer. Through this partnership with the kingdom of Avalon, we usher in a new era of prosperity and equality through understanding,” boasts the horned man, and he holds up a glass. “Only together can we change the fate of a Spiral coming undone…”

His words become gibberish to me after that point--the delusions of a hypocritical madman--and I look around for signs of the other members...but to my surprise, the hall is completely devoid of them. Perhaps there are more members than what I what I know… It wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest….but for Valkoor to appear in public without his right-hand henchmen is odd…

Wolf was at the southern gate...so why isn’t he here now? Where is Mason? Brian? That purple-haired woman? It’s unsettling...and that maddening presence is still lingering somewhere nearby…

Why would Valkoor play this card? It’s too easy to go after him now, and judging by the skeptical look on Angel’s face, he’s thinking the same thing. We’re all restraining ourselves from hopping into action...because we don’t know what the hell he’s doing…

If Wolf is at the southern gate, and I assume that Mason is at the west….maybe Brian to the east if he survived losing his hand (I assume he would with the help of that other witch)...and they haven’t come inside yet...Does that mean...that Valkoor put them there to guard the gates? 

But surely he would have thought that we’d get in some other way….so why not have anyone else guarding him here… Unless...the goal isn’t to keep us out...but rather….

_ Keep us in? _

“I’d like to introduce the woman that made all of this possible. She has been...such an inspiration in this whole process and has really helped spread the message the Ministry has been trying to send. None of this would be possible without her love, and it is my great pleasure to share her beauty with all of you tonight. Please, give a warm welcome to the Khrystalline Flower, the Mother of the Verdant Wood: Lily of the Last Wood.” 

Polite applause ensues as the maddening presence grows, and I follow it to its source...only to find what I didn’t expect. 

A figure clad in green elegantly strides over to the wizard, her long, curled locks bouncing with her step. The dress she wears billows behind her in delicate layers of thin tulle and silk, the dress itself fitting the impossibly perfect curves of her body from her delicate wrists to her thin neck and to her wide waist where the gown sweeps out like the petals of a budding morning glory. From her gifted bust to her vivacious curves and to the light dusting of freckles beneath her vibrant green eyes, she is the picture of beauty, and even I am in awe of her despite the madness I know is lying beneath. 

She glides toward Valkoor, and as her lips meet his in a gentle kiss:

_**CLANG!!!** _

Valerian’s tray hits the tile with a near deafening clatter, truffles being strewn about at the feet of the many guests surrounding him. All eyes are on him as his own are open wide with unmistakable horror….as if he had seen a ghost. 

Beside me, Skeet inhales sharply, and I turn to see that he too has that horrified expression. In fact...they all have that look--Scarlet, Mariah, Angel, and even cold Vanessa. I don’t think they can feel the madness like I do… But there’s no doubt that there’s something not right about that woman, and as I look over at Valerian’s trembling form, he sinks to his knees on the floor and looks up at them hopelessly. 

He says something...but I can’t hear it… I can only see the movement of his lips. 

At first, it doesn’t make any sense, but when I hear Skeet whisper something beside me, my own blood starts to run cold. There’s no mistaking the name that fell from Valerian’s lips, and it replays in my head like a mockingbird’s call. 

“ _Lily…”_


End file.
